Evaluation of Changes in Physical Fitness and Body Composition Following a Tailored Judo Intervention and Nutritional Counseling in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study Incorporating Blood Morphology and Genetic Polymorphism Analysis.
Evaluation of Changes in Physical Fitness and Body Composition Following a Tailored Judo Intervention and Nutritional Counseling in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study Incorporating Blood Morphology and Genetic Polymorphism Analysis.
The present research project aims to testing adapted judo training as a form of supportive developmental therapy, combined with nutritional counseling, to influence physical fitness, dietary habits, body composition, body stability, and blood morphology-while accounting for genetic polymorphisms-among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who possess functional communication skills and no diagnosed aphasia. The study hypothesizes that a therapeutic intervention consisting of adapted judo training integrated with nutritional guidance will significantly enhance the functional capacity of children and adolescents with ASD.
Current research demonstrates that judo training, despite being a contact sport, reduces the severity of symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This suggests that, due to its specific format, judo may serve as a valuable therapeutic intervention for children and adolescents with ASD. Consequently, this study plans to implement adapted judo training as a form of therapy for participants aged 7 to 14. The sessions will be conducted over a 10-month period in integrated training groups, comprising both individuals with ASD and neurotypical peers. The objective of this training program is to analyze the effectiveness of environmental adaptation, the overcoming of resistance to interpersonal contact through contact sports, and to perform a comparative analysis of changes in examined variables between the ASD and non-ASD groups.
The training program will be based on movement-based games and activities designed to influence psychosocial behavior, peer interaction, and the acquisition of new motor skills to enhance functional abilities. Furthermore, it will include components of general physical literacy and judo-specific techniques (e.g., safe falling, displacement, applying and escaping holds, body rotations, and off-balancing/kuzushi). Sessions will be held twice weekly for 60 minutes. The study will enroll 50 participants aged 7-14 with a confirmed ASD diagnosis, possessing at least a "fair" level of communication skills and no diagnosed aphasia, alongside a control group of 50 neurotypical individuals. Therapeutic efficacy regarding physical fitness will be assessed through environmental adaptation tests (evaluating social comfort and cooperation), the EUROFIT Test battery, and stabilometric platform measurements.
It has been shown that coaches can influence the conscious healthy eating habits of their trainees; however, there is a lack of such data regarding children and adolescents with ASD. A frequent issue in the ASD population is food selectivity, characterized by the consumption of a highly restricted range of accepted food products. This may lead to micronutrient deficiencies as well as weight and growth disturbances. Therefore, this study proposes an innovative scientific intervention involving nutritional counseling conducted in cooperation with legal guardians, based on the collection of dietary habit data. To evaluate micronutrient status, blood morphology will be performed to analyze levels of iron, vitamin B12, protein, magnesium, and folic acid. These results, combined with body composition analysis via bioelectrical impedance (BIA), will facilitate the design of appropriately balanced diets for individual participants.
Existing, though limited, genetic studies in individuals with ASD highlight the importance of identifying targeted, highly effective therapeutic and preventive measures to optimize functional outcomes. Research suggests a correlation between polymorphisms in genes encoding oxytocin receptors or those responsible for its secretion (e.g., the CD38 gene) and the functioning of individuals with ASD. Based on these observations, CD38 gene polymorphisms will be examined in the study participants using real-time PCR genetic analysis. Assessments of physical fitness, body stability, blood morphology, body composition will be conducted at three intervals: baseline (pre-intervention), mid-point, and post-intervention. Genetic polymorphism analysis assessments will be performed once, towards the conclusion of the training process.
Inclusion Criteria:
Group non-ASD: Male and female participants aged 7-14 years without ASD, intellectual disability and without impairments in language functioning.
Exclusion Criteria: