Physical activity of adults with mental retardation: review and research needs.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize physical activity levels of adults with mental retardation and identify limitations in published research.


METHODS
Key word searches for "mental retardation," "intellectual disability," "learning disability," or "developmental disability" combined with "physical activity" or "habitual exercise" identified articles from MEDLINE, Academic Search Elite, Psych Articles, Health Source, and SPORT Discus. This produced a total of 801 citations.


METHODS
Published English-language literature that quantitatively measured physical activity levels of adults with mental retardation was included in this review. Fourteen articles met this criterion.


METHODS
Characteristics of participants, study design, outcome measures, methods of analyses, and findings in terms of percentages, step counts, and accelerometer output were extracted.


RESULTS
Data were synthesized to identify the percentage of adults with mental retardation who met published health-related physical activity criteria and compare them with adults without mental retardation and to examine study limitations.


RESULTS
The studies with the greatest rigor indicate that one-third of adults or fewer with mental retardation were sufficiently active to achieve health benefits. However, data are insufficient to determine whether adults with mental retardation are less active than the general community.


CONCLUSIONS
Future research would be enhanced by including appropriately powered representative samples, by including comparison groups, by validating physical activity questionnaires, and by determining the accuracy of proxy respondents.
Temple
Viviene A
VA
School of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Victoria, PO Box 3015 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3P1, Canada. vtemple@uvic.ca
Frey
Georgia C
GC
Stanish
Heidi I
HI
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000592:standards*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012106:Research