MedPath

School Intervention With Daily Physical Activity and Healthy Food for Students With an Intellectual Disability.

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Weight Loss
Mental Retardation
Food Habits
Registration Number
NCT01291238
Lead Sponsor
Karolinska Institutet
Brief Summary

A whole of school intervention with daily physical activity and healthy food for students with intellectual disabilities. The aim is to provide plenty of concrete examples of healthy life style choices and using school personnel and peers as role models. This will presumably result in healthier weight, better fitness and not least in new familiar healthy habits.

Detailed Description

Youth with an intellectual disability are reported more sedentary and more often overweight than non intellectual disability youth. Cardio metabolic risk factors are observed more frequent and at an earlier age among young people with intellectual disability. The school reaches all students and they spend the main part of their day in the school milieu hence examples of healthy lifestyle can be provided there.

This intervention increased physical activity with daily scheduled physical activity. At least one lesson each week was at the gym. Food provided in the school environment was considered from content of sugar and fat and ónly healthy food choices was available at school. This included all school activities, both in the school area and on school activities out in the community. It included home economic lessons as well as the school cafeterias supply and school lunch content.

To increase vegetable intake a special designed plate was used for lunch according the "plate model". In addition, the plate model was one theme during art class.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
145
Inclusion Criteria
  • mild/moderate intellectual disability
  • students at the upper secondary schools for intellectual disability students
Exclusion Criteria
  • severe intellectual disability
  • obesity related syndromes
  • major physical disabilities

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Decrease in cardio metabolic risk factors2 years

At baseline and after 2 years of intervention; height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure was measured. In addition fasting blood samples of total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose and insulin. Absorptiometry photos (DXA) for body composition.

Postintervention measures in addition compared to a controlgroup. Cross sectional data on all school students of all above mentioned variables and also cholesterol as HDL and LDL compared to a control group.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Increase in physical fitness2 years

At baseline and after 2 years of intervention a submaximal ergometer bicycle test. Postintervention measures in addition compared to a controlgroup.

Cross sectional data on all school students from accelerometer, actiwatch, for frequency, intensity and level of physical activity compared to a control group.

Increased vegetable intakeat least 1 year

To measure if the special plate made students take 37,5% vegetables or more as is the vegetable field on the plate.Effect of the specially designed plate according the plate-model evaluates in an observational study with videorecording and photos of a self served lunchportion on an ordinary plate in an experimental situation.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Karolinska Institutet, Department of clinical science, intervention and technology. Division of pediatrics, B62

🇸🇪

Stockholm, Sweden

Karolinska Institutet, Department of clinical science, intervention and technology. Division of pediatrics, B62
🇸🇪Stockholm, Sweden

MedPath

Empowering clinical research with data-driven insights and AI-powered tools.

© 2025 MedPath, Inc. All rights reserved.