title: Healthy lifestyles for adults with intellectual disability: knowledge, barriers, and facilitators.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People with intellectual disability (ID) are more likely to have health problems than people without disability. Little previous research has investigated health from the perspective of the people with ID themselves. We aimed to focus on what people with ID understand being healthy to mean and what their experiences are of healthy lifestyles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semistructured interviews were conducted with 13 adults with ID to ask them about their health and healthy lifestyles. Data were analysed thematically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants demonstrated understanding of what it means to be healthy, have a healthy diet, the dangers of substance misuse, and the benefits of exercise. Participants demonstrated some knowledge about rationales for engaging in healthy behaviours. The idea of moderation was raised, along with barriers and facilitators to engaging in a healthy lifestyle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that people with ID demonstrate some understanding of what constitutes being healthy and are aware of healthy lifestyles, the consequences of unhealthy behaviours, and of the need for moderation.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. s.caton@mmu.ac.uk
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caton
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chadwick
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turnbull
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Jois
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stansfield
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires