| Title | The effect of progressive resistance exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in adults with intellectual disabilities. |
| Purpose | Improving the cardiovascular health of adults with intellectual disabilities. |
Target group | Adults with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities who have at least two cardiovascular risk factors (such as elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, obesity). |
| Design | Intervention study with an interrupted time series design (several measurements are conducted on participants before and after the intervention). |
| What does the research involve? | More and more people with intellectual disabilities suffer from cardiovascular diseases later in life. This is particularly the case if they have already suffered from the risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or obesity. Progressive resistance exercise training can have a positive effect on these risk factors, thereby reducing the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, resistance exercise training can also have a positive effect on fitness, the performance of everyday tasks, the prevention of falls, and behavioral problems. In the current study, we want to investigate whether muscle strength training can reduce risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. We will measure this by organizing a 24-week training program with clients. The training consists of exercises that train the whole body. Several measurements will be taken at the end of the training program to determine the effects of the muscle strength training. These include physical examinations, fitness tests, behavior, fall prevention, and the everyday functioning of the client. |
| Duration | The study started recruiting participants in 2019. The final training sessions will be completed in 2024. We expect to be able to publish the intitial results of the study in 2024 or early 2025. |
| Parties involved | In addition to the research team, an entire team of professionals is involved in this study: physiotherapists, movement experts, physicians, physician assistants, behavioral experts, personal caregivers, and the managers of the care organizations involved. |
| Implementation | If progressive resistance exercise training can reduce cardiovascular risk factors, then resistance training can be used as a treatment for adults who have these cardiovascular risk factors, thereby reducing their use of medication possibly as well. Another benefit of strength training is that muscles are strengthened, making everyday acitivites easier to perform, and people with intellectual disabilities can live longer and healthier lives. |
| Would you like to learn more? | Send an email to k.deoude@erasmusmc.nl |
