The Be A Fit Kid Program

Abstract

Be A Fit Kid is an individualized and noncompetitive physical activity and nutrition program created in response to the dramatic rise in obesity and its related risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease in American youth. Adolescents with intellectual disabilities and/or physical limitations may be at even greater risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease due to less exposure to health promotion programs than adolescents without disabilities. PURPOSE 1.) To assess the percent of adolescents with disabilities in the present sample exceeding recommendations for body composition and total cholesterol levels and 2.) To improve fitness, dietary habits, body composition, and total cholesterol levels following 3 months of participation in the Be A Fit Kid program. METHODS The sample consisted of 16 adolescents, aged 12–15 years, with disabilities including autism, Asperger's syndrome, mental impairment, cerebral palsy, and severe attention deficit disorder. All adolescents were ambulatory. The program met two to three times each week for 90 minutes during the elective period of the school day for 3 months. Height and weight were measured for calculation of body mass index (BMI), skinfolds were measured for estimation of body fat, blood was collected for measurement of cholesterol levels, dietary habits were analyzed from 24-hour food records, nutrition knowledge was assessed by a simple nutrition test, and fitness was estimated from the mile run and sit-ups. RESULTS Over half of the sample had high BMI, high body fat, and high levels of total cholesterol at baseline. Following the intervention, significant improvements were observed in the mile run (p=0.023), sit-ups (p=0.000), and nutrition knowledge (p=0.017). Approaching significant reductions were observed in body fat (0.080) and total cholesterol levels (0.087). Over 70% of the sample reduced their intake of soda, cheese, red meat, and refined sugar, increased their intake of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, unsaturated fats, and chose a lower fat milk. CONCLUSION Baseline data emphasize the need for health promotion program in adolescents with disabilities. The significant improvements in fitness and nutrition knowledge, and the near significant reductions in body fat and total cholesterol levels in this small sample of adolescents with disabilities following the Be A Fit Kid intervention are encouraging and suggest that individualized and noncompetitive health promotion programs focusing on fitness and nutrition can be well-received by adolescents with intellectual disabilities and may be effective in altering the development of lifestyle-related diseases.