School Intervention With Daily Physical Activity and Healthy Food for Students With an Intellectual Disability.

Lifestyle Related Health and Health Promoting Activities for Youths With Intellectual Disabilities

A whole of school intervention with daily physical activity and healthy food for students with intellectual disabilities. The aim is to provide plenty of concrete examples of healthy life style choices and using school personnel and peers as role models. This will presumably result in healthier weight, better fitness and not least in new familiar healthy habits.

Youth with an intellectual disability are reported more sedentary and more often overweight than non intellectual disability youth. Cardio metabolic risk factors are observed more frequent and at an earlier age among young people with intellectual disability. The school reaches all students and they spend the main part of their day in the school milieu hence examples of healthy lifestyle can be provided there.

This intervention increased physical activity with daily scheduled physical activity. At least one lesson each week was at the gym. Food provided in the school environment was considered from content of sugar and fat and ónly healthy food choices was available at school. This included all school activities, both in the school area and on school activities out in the community. It included home economic lessons as well as the school cafeterias supply and school lunch content.

To increase vegetable intake a special designed plate was used for lunch according the "plate model". In addition, the plate model was one theme during art class.

Inclusion Criteria:

• mild/moderate intellectual disability
• students at the upper secondary schools for intellectual disability students

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe intellectual disability
• obesity related syndromes
• major physical disabilities