| Keywords |
Walking; Intellectual disability; Metabolic Syndrome; Obese; Community-based program |
| Abstract |
Individuals with intellectual disabilities are significantly more sedentary than the general population without intellectual disabilities, and sedentary lifestyle habits are reportedly associated with increased prevalence of various chronic disease. We investigated the effect of walking exercise program- operated by community-based welfare facilitieson the risk factors for metabolic syndrome in obese adults with intellectual disabilities. Thirty adults were recruited and randomly assigned to the exercise group (EG, n=23) and control group (CG, n=7). Before and after its implementation, participants’ body composition, blood pressure, blood glucose, TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG were measured. Findings revealed significant differences in body composition, such as body weight, BMI, and WC, based on the time and time x group in the EG. The blood pressure of participants in EG also a significant difference by time. Blood sampling results showed significant within-group differences in HDL-C and LDL-C for the EG.
Additionally, there were significant between-group differences in TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C. These results indicated that participation in a recreational walking exercise program may mitigate risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Additionally, walking exercise is a promising method for improving lifestyle habits, and for reducing and preventing additional health risks, among obese individuals with intellectual disabilities. |