Association between nutritional status and of health-related fitness in adults with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Obesity is a public health problem that has a direct impact on levels of physical fitness and health, especially in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) for a series of cognitive and social limitations due to disability. The objective of the study is to identify the association between nutritional status and levels of health-related fitness in people with ID. The research was conducted in an institution with 31 adult men that the assessment of nutritional status was performed using BMI, and physical fitness tests related to health with use of adapted Brockport battery (assessment of adiposity, flexibility test, muscular strength / endurance and aerobic capacity). If you used the covariance analysis to compare groups eutrophic and overweight in relation to the components of physical fitness and health and the Fisher exact test to verify the association between variables. Most adults did not meet the minimum criteria for health. Adults who are overweight (BMI) had higher percentage values of body fat and lower levels of muscular strength / endurance than eutrophic. The Association of evidence between overweight with high percentage of fat levels and low levels of muscular strength / endurance alert to the need for specific programs for people with ID.