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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR LEVELS AND PATTERNS IN ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT DOWN SYNDROME

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Low physical activity (PA) and high sedentary behavior (SB) levels in adults with Down syndrome (DS) have been evaluated with accelerometer cut-points for adults without DS. This study examined if levels and patterns of PA or SB differed between adults with and without DS when using population specific accelerometer cut-points. METHODS: Twenty-eight adults with DS (age 37±11 years) and 56 adults without DS (age 29±11 years) had PA and SB measured by hip worn accelerometer (wGT3X-BT, Actigraph). We scored accelerometer data using the following cut-points (DS: Sedentary ≤237 counts·min-1, Light ≤2166 counts·min-1, Moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) ≥2167 counts·min-1; Non-DS: Sedentary ≤199 counts·min-1, Light ≤2690 counts·min-1, MVPA ≥2691 counts·min-1). The following thresholds were used for number and duration of SB and PA bouts: ≥1, ≥10, ≥30, and ≥60 min. We used independent samples t-tests to determine differences between adults with and without DS for SB and PA variables. RESULTS: Adults with DS had less sedentary time (DS: 338±96 min·day-1; Non-DS: 502±113 min·day-1; p<.001), more light PA (DS: 330±93 min·day-1; Non-DS: 287±72 min·day-1; p=.012), and more MVPA time (DS: 95±49 min·day-1; Non-DS: 52±28 min·day-1; p<.001) than adults without DS. Adults with DS had more ≥1min (DS: 53±10 bouts·day-1; Non-DS: 44±8 bouts·day-1; p<.001), and less ≥10min (DS: 14±5 bouts·day-1; Non-DS: 17±3 bouts·day-1; p=.002), ≥30min (DS: 2±2 bouts·day-1; Non-DS: 5±2 bouts·day-1; p<.001), and ≥60min SB bouts (DS: .5±.4 bouts·day-1; Non-DS: 1±1 bouts·day-1; p<.001) than adults without DS. Adults with DS had shorter ≥1min (DS: 8±2 min·bout-1; Non-DS: 13±5 min·bout-1; p<.001) and ≥10min SB bouts (DS: 21±6 min·bout-1; Non-DS: 26±7 min·bout-1; p<.001) than adults without DS. Adults with DS had more ≥1min (DS: 35±13 bouts·day-1; Non-DS: 22±9 bouts·day-1; p<.001) and ≥10min PA bouts (DS: 2±2 bouts·day-1; Non-DS: 1±1 bouts·day-1; p<.001), and longer ≥1min (DS: 3±1 min·bout-1; Non-DS: 2±1 min·bout-1; p=.003), but shorter ≥10min PA bouts (DS: 15±3 min·bout-1; Non-DS: 19±9 min·bout-1; p=.010) than adults without DS. CONCLUSION: Adults with DS engage in shorter sedentary bouts than adults without DS that are interrupted by short bouts of PA. Structured activities at group homes and day programs may contribute to more breaks in SB observed among adults with DS.Funding: MSU ORED and I’m An Athlete Foundation

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