The effects of exercise programming on health-related physical fitness of individuals with an intellectual disability : a meta-analysis of studies

A quantitative research synthesis (meta-analysis) was conducted to determine the effects of exercise on health-related physical fitness of people with an intellectual disability. While studies on this topic have been qualitatively reviewed (e.g., Fernhall, 1993; Fernhall, Tymeson, & Webster, 1988; Pitetti, Rimmeri & Fernhall, 1993), the effects of exercise on some of the health-related physical fitness components remains unclear, or unknown. Further, none of the reviews determined the influence of study characteristics on study outcomes.The data were 24 studies yielding 104 effect sizes based on 826 subjects.These analyses revealed that the outcomes of the studies related to cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance were influenced by the variables of document source and length of program. More specifically, published studies produced significantly larger mean effect size than unpublished studies, and longer programs ($ ge$9 weeks) produced significantly larger mean effect size than shorter programs (58 weeks). Further it was found that the level of exercise frequency, influenced flexibility. More specifically, programs with higher exercise frequency ($>$3 times per week) produced significantly larger mean effect size than programs with lower exercise frequency (3 times per week). (Abstract shortened by UMI.