The practice of physical activity, exercise and sport has many benefits for the general population, but studies on the population with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are scarce and inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze the state of the art on the role of physical activity, exercise and sport in the quality of life and well-being of people with IDD, seeking to understand the current panorama in this area and provide answers to these questions. The research was carried out between July and October 2023 using three databases: PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. Fifteen articles met the eligibility criteria for this study, and these were methodologically assessed using the Downs and Black scale (1998). Higher values were identified in the total quality of life score and some domains of this variable (e.g., personal development, physical well-being and emotional well-being), in satisfaction with life and in the perception of well-being in individuals with IDD who have enjoyed or are involved in physical activity, physical exercise and/or sports programs. Thus, according to the studies included in this systematic review, we can conclude that the practice of physical activity, physical exercise and sport seems to contribute to improving the quality of life and well-being of people with IDD. Despite the growing research interest in this area, there is still a notable lack of studies exploring the impact of these programs, especially sports-based programs, on quality of life and well-being variables in the population under study.
Keywords: intellectual and developmental disability; physical activity; physical exercise; quality of life; sport; well-being.