Quantifying physical activity, physical education and active travel in children and adolescents with visual Impairments.

Background: Meeting the physical activity (PA) guidelines for children, as set out by the World Health Organisation (WHO), has a range of physical and mental health benefits. For children who are blind or vision impaired (BVI), additional benefits include social inclusion and reduced falls risk. While previous research has demonstrated low PA levels across most demographics, little research has been done in the Irish context to quantify PA in children who are BVI.

Investigating physical activity levels in adults who are blind and vision impaired.

Background: It is well established that meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines has a range of physical and mental health benefits. For people who are blind and vision impaired (BVI) there may be additional benefits in terms of social inclusion and the prevention of sight deterioration.

Objective: This study aimed to quantify PA levels, barriers to and motivators for PA in adults who are BVI.

Can Special Olympics coaches accurately report on the motor competence of children with intellectual disabilities?

Background: Motor competence is the ability to perform goal directed human movements in a co-ordinated, accurate and error free manner. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of coaches' perceptions of children's motor competence with their actual motor competence.

Method: This study examined the motor competence of children with intellectual disabilities (n = 100) and coaches' perceptions of children's motor competence (n = 10).

Exploring the motor skill proficiency barrier among children with intellectual disabilities: Analysis at a behavioural component level.

Models of childhood motor development began to emerge in the 1960's. Since then, numerous models have proposed the importance of obtaining a proficient level of fundamental movement skill (FMS) competence during childhood and deemed it to be critical for participation in lifelong sports and physical activity. This study examined FMS at the behavioural component level in children with intellectual disabilities (CwID) (n = 100, 60% boys, aged 5-12 years).

Assessing the Fundamental Movement Skills of Children With Intellectual Disabilities in the Special Olympics Young Athletes Program.

Mastering the ability to move proficiently from a young age is an important contributor to lifelong physical activity participation. This study examined fundamental movement skill (FMS) proficiency in children with intellectual disabilities (n = 96, 60% boys, age 5-12 years) and typically developing children (n = 96, 60% boys, age 5-12 years). Participants were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3rd edition and balance subtest from the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2.

LifeLab: Co-Design of an Interactive Health Literacy Intervention for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Adolescents'.

Low socioeconomic populations, when compared to more affluent groups, are at greater risk of initiating risky behaviours and consequently developing health complications. Health literacy has been identified as a possible means to improve and sustain positive health behaviours, with adolescence being a time point when such behaviours can be embedded. To develop a meaningful health intervention, it has been recommended that relevant stakeholders be included in the design phase.

Understanding disadvantaged adolescents' perception of health literacy through a systematic development of peer vignettes.

Background: Adolescence represents a crucial phase of life where health behaviours, attitudes and social determinants can have lasting impacts on health quality across the life course. Unhealthy behaviour in young people is generally more common in low socioeconomic groups. Nevertheless, all adolescents should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential.

Ten Years of 'Flying the Flag': An Overview and Retrospective Consideration of the Active School Flag Physical Activity Initiative for Children-Design, Development & Evaluation.

Whole-school physical activity (PA) promotion programmes are recommended to increase youth PA. Evaluation of programmes is essential to ensure practice is guided by evidence. This paper evaluates the Active School Flag (ASF), a whole-school PA promotion programme in Ireland, using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

A comparison of physical activity, physical fitness levels, BMI and blood pressure of adults with intellectual disability, who do and do not take part in Special Olympics Ireland programmes: Results from the SOPHIE study.

People with an intellectual disability are less physically active, live more sedentary lives, have lower fitness levels and are more likely to be overweight or obese than the general population. No evidence exists on the impact of participation in Special Olympics Ireland (SOI) on physical activity and physical fitness levels. Adults with intellectual disabilities (16-64 years) were recruited from services and SOI clubs.

An examination of the nutritional intake and anthropometric status of individuals with intellectual disabilities: Results from the SOPHIE study.

The prevalence of obesity appears greater in people with intellectual disabilities than those in the general population. This study aimed to examine the nutritional intake and anthropometric status of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Participants aged 16-64 years were recruited from intellectual disability service provider organizations ( n = 131).

People with intellectual disability and their families' perspectives of Special Olympics Ireland: Qualitative findings from the SOPHIE study.

Previous research has highlighted that while involvement in Special Olympics can have benefits for athletes and their families, there can also be many barriers to participation. This qualitative study, which was part of a large mixed-method study, examined the experiences and perspectives of people with intellectual disability, their families and staff who work with them, about Special Olympics Ireland (SOI). A total of 47 participants (15 athletes, 6 non-athletes, 18 family members and 8 staff members) participated in focus group and individual interviews.

Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health: evidence and background to the development of the Y-PATH physical activity intervention for adolescents.

Background: Despite known benefits of regular physical activity for health and well-being, many studies suggest that levels of physical activity in young people are low, and decline dramatically during adolescence. The purpose of the current research was to gather data on adolescent youth in order to inform the development of a targeted physical activity intervention.

Methods: Cross-sectional data on physical activity levels (using self report and accelerometry), psychological correlates of physical activity, anthropometic characteristics, and the fundamental movement skill proficiency of 256 youth (53% male, 12.

Pedometer step count and BMI of Irish primary school children aged 6-9 years.

Objective: (1) To assess step count and Body Mass Index in Irish children, (2) to examine variation in (i) weekday and weekend activity, (ii) during-school and after-school activity, and (3) to evaluate the utility of pedometer based PA recommendations for health in predicting Body Mass Index.

Methods: Three hundred and one Irish primary school children aged 6-9 years wore a sealed pedometer for seven consecutive days in 2008, had their height and weight measured, and completed a short Physical Activity questionnaire.

Results: The majority of children were classed as of normal weight, and met the age and sex specific pedometer recommendations for health.

Gross motor skill acquisition in adolescents with Down syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether verbal-motor performances deficits exhibited by individuals with Down syndrome limited their ability to acquire gross motor skills when given visual and verbal instruction together and then transferred to either a visual or verbal instructional mode to reproduce the movement. Nine individuals with Down syndrome (6 males, 3 females) performed 3 gross motor skills. Both visual and verbal instructional guidance was given to the participants over a 4-day period.