Aims: to determine the effect of a 20-week exergame program on different indicators of body composition and components of health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods and Procedures Outcomes: 49 adolescents (19 female and 30 males; average age, 14.19 ± 2.06 years) with Down syndrome were recruited and randomized to two groups (control group vs. intervention group). Adolescents allocated in the control group carried out a physical activity program three times a week for 20 weeks meanwhile adolescents allocated in the exercise group performed an exergame program three times a week for 20 weeks.
Results: The exercise group had significant improvements in all health-related physical fitness variables and there is an improvement in some body composition variables (p < 0.05).
Conclusions and implications: 20 week exergame program consisting of 3 sessions of 60 minutes is able to improve levels of body composition and health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndrome.Highlights Research in body composition and health-related physical fitness of people with Down syndrome has revealed that an exergame programme increases levels of health-related physical fitness in adolescents with Down syndromeAn exergame programme can improve differences in markers of body composition between the control group and the intervention groupThe intervention group that performed the exergame programme showed increases in health-related physical fitness levels after 20 weeks of intervention.The control group that performed a based on developing motor behaviour programme did not show differences in body composition or health-related physical fitness after 20 weeks of intervention.
Keywords: Disability sport; Down syndrome; children; exergame; fitness; health-related physical fitness; obesity.