Assessment of Walking Routes as a Possible Approach for Promoting Physical Activity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Brief Report

ABSTRACT

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk for being overweight/obese and face a variety of challenges with achieving the recommended levels of physical activity. Physical activity level has additionally been linked to motor skills, sleep, cognitive function and academic performance, and mental health in children with ASD. We pilot tested the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of walking routes as a novel approach to increasing physical activity among children with ASD. Physical activity was measured by accelerometry in 21 children ages 6–10 years. Participants received feedback on their physical activity and were counseled on using their surrounding neighborhoods to increase their physical activity. Non-completion (n = 9) reasons included equipment discomfort, family challenges, and diagnosis misattribution. While small changes in physical activity level and sedentary time were observed, neither was statistically significant. Further controlled studies on walking route interventions should continue to explore the potential benefits among this high-risk population.

KEYWORDS:

• Autism
• walking
• physical activity
• accelerometer
• children
• pilot

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Jennifer Maniates for her assistance with data presentation. The authors thank the patients and their families for their participation in this pilot study and the clinical staff at all participating sites.

Declaration of Interests

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under cooperative agreement UA3 MC11054 – Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health.