An intellectual disability ID is one of the most well known developmental disabilities and has a pre

1
The effect of a sixteen-week-swim-training-program
on body composition in adolescents with
intellectual disabilities
J. Glenn, A. Casey, R. Rasmussen, S.
Mackenzie Department of Human Kinetics, Saint
Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS
Introduction

• I hypothesize that the swim-training program
  will have an effect on body composition in
  individuals with ID and that the participants
  body fat percentage will decrease

Statistical Analysis A two-way repeated measures
analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for
significance in the differences between
pre-training and post-training percent body fat.

• Engaging in physical activity may have resulted
  in a greater consumption of food high in fat,
  counteracting the possible healthy body
  composition advantage of training (Stanish
  Draheim, 2007)
• As the time it takes to achieve the goals of
  ACSMs aerobic exercise program spans anywhere
  between four to six months, a training session
  longer than 16 weeks may be necessary to bring
  forth any significant reductions in body fat
  percentage
• This present study contributes to increasing the
  awareness of the effects of physical activity in
  adolescents with ID with the unique and important
  factor of placing the individuals into a training
  environment

An intellectual disability (ID) is one of the
most well known developmental disabilities and
has a prevalence of approximately three percent
in Western society (Fernhall, 2003 Sherrill,
2004). The official definition of an intellectual
disability, as defined by the American
Association on Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities (AAIDD) (2008) is a disability
characterized by significant limitations both in
intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior
as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical
adaptive skills. Individuals with ID are at a
high risk for the health problems associated with
a sedentary lifestyle (Stanish Frey, 2007). In
a sample of 444 adolescents with ID, 20 were in
the category of overweight/obese (Frey Chow,
2006). Studies regarding the effect of exercise
training on body composition in individuals with
ID are limited and subsequently the effect of
training is unknown. Until the intensity,
frequency, and duration is described in the
training program, researchers will not be able to
assess if the recommended guidelines of physical
activity for training individuals with ID are
being met (Frey, Stanish, Temple, 2008).
Method
Results

• Participants
• Eight participants, two female and six male (Mean
  age 13.1 3.4, Range 9 to 17)
• Two groups dependent upon swimming ability
• 1. Volume 200 1000 meters
• 2. Volume 500 1500 meters
• Training Intervention
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
  guidelines
• Frequency 1 hour, 3 times per week
• Intensity 60 to 80 HRmax
• Duration 16 weeks
• Front crawl exercises
• Testing Protocol
• Pre-test - - - - - 16 weeks - - - - - Post-test
• Height and weight was measured to the nearest
  0.1cm and 0.1kg, respectively

Acknowledgements

• Co advisors Dr. Amanda Casey and Dr. Roy
  Rasmussen
• Statistics advisor Dr. Sasho Mackenzie
• St.FX Service Learning
• Volunteer participants
• Fellow honour students

• Participants had no significant change in
  percentage body fat as a result of training
• (F (1,6) 5.666, p 0.055 ?2 0.486)
• No significant difference between group one and
  group twos response to the training program was
  found 
• (F (1,6)0.718, p 0.429 ?2 0.107)

Objective

• Investigate the effects an adapted-sixteen-week-s
  wim-training-program has on body composition
  (percent body fat) in adolescents with
  intellectual disabilities
• Assess body composition using a direct method,
  dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), known
  extensively as the gold standard technique
  (Hosking, Metcalk, Jeffery, Voss, Wilkin, 2006).

Conclusion

• The swim-training-program was not effective in
  reducing percent body fat and therefore the
  hypothesis was not supported