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THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
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Assessment of physical fitness, physical activity level and sedentary behavior in adolescents with and without intellectual disability
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Physical medicine and rehabilitation, Medicine, University of Kinshasa , Kinshasa , Democratic Republic of the Congo
pediatrie, Medicine, university of Kinshasa , Kinshasa , Congo Kinshasa
physical medicine and rehabilitation, medicine, university of Kinshasa , Kinshasa , Congo Kinshasa
Kinésithérapie, sciences de la motricité humaine, university libre de bruxelles , Bruxelles , Belgium
University of Kinshasa
Physical medicine and Rehabilitation, Medicine, university of Kinsahsa Congo Kinshasa
Université Libre de Bruxelles , Brussels , Belgium
Physical medicine and Rehabilitation, Medicine, University of Kinshasa Congo Kinshasa
Physical medicine and Rehabilitation, medicine, university of Kinshasa Congo Kinshasa
Editor: Danilo Radanović
Abstract
Physical fitness is an important marker of health from a young age, yet it has been little studied in adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This study aimed to compare physical fitness, physical activity levels, and sedentary behaviors between adolescents with and without ID. A cross-sectional analytical design was used with 569 adolescents divided into two groups: 303 with ID (13.54 ± 1.07 years; 180 boys, 123 girls) and 266 without ID (13.54 ± 1.10 years; 142 boys, 124 girls). Data were collected over a three-month period from November 2022 to February 2023. Physical fitness was assessed using the Eurofit test battery, including grip strength, explosive strength, seated trunk flexion, and the 20-meter shuttle run. Anthropometric measurements were also taken, and physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed using the CAPAS-Q 8–18 questionnaire. Adolescents with ID showed significantly lower physical activity level and higher sedentary behavior than their peers without ID (p < .001). They also performed worse on grip strength, explosive strength, and cardiorespiratory endurance tests (d = -0.77 to -1.23 for boys; d = -0.77 to -1.73 for girls; p < .001). Findings highlight disparities and support the need for further longitudinal and intervention research.
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