Since the classic work of Rarick and Dobbins, who in the early 1960s reported that children with intellectual disabilities had lower levels of physical fitness compared to their peers, we haven't had much good news regarding the overall physical health and function of youth and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). During the past four decades, several published studies have essentially said the same thing: As a group, individuals with I/DD have poor physical fitness that generally becomes progressively worse across the lifespan.

Low physical fitness refers to three essential factors: poor cardiorespiratory endurance, low muscle strength, and a high body fat level leading to obesity. Not too long ago, many people felt that physical fitness was not an important area of health to be overly concerned about unless you were an athlete. Today that attitude has changed as researchers are starting to discover that low strength and high body fat, referred to as sarcopenic obesity, has dangerous implications for older adults in general, and for younger adults with I/DD in particular, given their higher rate of obesity and low physical fitness.

Read the entire column at: http://www.ncpad.org/507/2405/2007-11~Issue~~Low~Muscle~Strength~and~Obesity~May~Lead
~ to~Troublesome~Health~Concerns~in~Later~Life~in~Adults~
with~Intellectual~Developmental~Disabilities.