Blanquerna and AMPANS: intellectual disability, aging and physical activity

“Intellectual disability, exercise and aging: the IDEA study: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial”, an international study by Facultat de Psicologia, Ciències de l’Educació i de l’Esport de Blanquerna (Universitat Ramon Llull) that assesses the impact of physical activity on the aging of middle-aged and elderly people with intellectual disabilities.

The purpose of this project is the implementation and assessment of the effects of different physical activity programs on health, physical condition and quality of life in people over 45 years of age and with intellectual disabilities .

It is a multidisciplinary study, with researchers from different areas such as medicine, sciences of physical activity and sport (CAFE), physiotherapy and psychology. It is also a multi-centre and international project, which already has the collaboration of researchers from the United States, South Africa and Barcelona (University of Barcelona). The coordinating entity is Blanquerna (URL), which is also responsible for carrying out the various assessments and implementing the physical activity programs.

In 2021, a six months of activity and six months follow-up trial was carried out  by a team of doctors and doctoral students closely  who studied a group of 30 participants from different Occupational Centers from our organization, all of them men and women over 45 years and with a mild or moderate disability.

The results show notable improvements in fat loss, muscle gain, improved balance and increased strength. As well as a generalized improvement in the mental and physical health of the participants.

These results have a positive impact on the quality of life of the participants, as well as generate indicators and new guidelines for assisting the people of the group studied.