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. Physical measures included waist circumference, height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate and 6-min walking test. Self-report questionnaires gathered data on physical activity levels. Actigraph (GT3X) accelerometers were used to gain an objective measure of physical activity. SOI participants accumulated more moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, had higher fitness levels and more positive health profile scores than those not taking part in SOI. SOI has the potential to make a positive difference to people's physical health and subsequently their overall health and well-being.

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. Supplemental data, gathered as part of the larger study extracted from open-ended survey questions completed by 97 family members also informed this element. Findings revealed four main themes: impact of participation on athletes, impact of involvement on families, barriers to participation and how to enhance participation rates. Involvement in Special Olympics impacted positively on the quality of life of athletes and families. Enhanced availability of user-friendly information and service accessibility were important drivers identified for enhancing participation rates in Special Olympics.