Effectiveness of exergames programme to modify body composition and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with down syndrome after COVID-19 quarantine

ABSTRACT

Aims: to determine the effect of a 20-week exergame program on different indicators of body composition and components of health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods and Procedures Outcomes: 49 adolescents (19 female and 30 males; average age, 14.19 ± 2.06 years) with Down syndrome were recruited and randomized to two groups (control group vs. intervention group). Adolescents allocated in the control group carried out a physical activity program three times a week for 20 weeks meanwhile adolescents allocated in the exercise group performed an exergame program three times a week for 20 weeks. Results: The exercise group had significant improvements in all health-related physical fitness variables and there is an improvement in some body composition variables (p < 0.05). Conclusions and Implications: 20 week exergame program consisting of 3 sessions of 60 minutes is able to improve levels of body composition and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome.

Highlights

• Research in body composition and health-related physical fitness of people with Down syndrome has revealed that an exergame programme increases levels of health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome

• An exergame programme can improve differences in markers of body composition between the control group and the intervention group

• The intervention group that performed the exergame programme showed increases in health-related physical fitness levels after 20 weeks of intervention.

• The control group that performed a based on developing motor behaviour programme did not show differences in body composition or health-related physical fitness after 20 weeks of intervention.

KEYWORDS:

• Disability sport
• fitness
• obesity
• children
• Down syndrome
• health-related physical fitness
• exergame

Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank all participants in the study for their dedication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).