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Evaluation of the Eat and Exercise to Win Program: Improving Healthy Behaviors of Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities

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Abstract

Objectives

The goals of this study were to evaluate the Eat and Exercise to Win (EE-2-Win) Program, an obesity prevention program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and to assess the feasibility of photo journals to document change in eating and exercise behaviors of adults with IDD.

Methods

Participants were five adults with IDD, seven parents of adults with IDD, and eight direct care staff for adults with IDD. Parents and staff participated in individual interviews to evaluate their perceptions of the EE-2-Win Program. Adults with IDD completed photo journals developing goals and then changing eating and exercise behaviors. An open coding approach was used to determine themes in interview data and photo journals.

Results

Findings indicated that parents and staff believed the program was helpful and related to positive change in eating and exercise behaviors. Young adults were eating more fruits and were more aware of the need to eat healthy foods. Adults engaged in more low-intensity exercise, which often was a social experience.

Conclusions

Picture-based teaching methods, such as classes from the EE-2-Win Program and photo journals, showed promise in changing eating and exercise behaviors for young adults with IDD. Future research using innovative visual methods may reach a group in need of access to information about obesity prevention.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the parents and individuals with IDD who participated. The authors would like to thank Afolakemi Olaniyan, M.S., MPH, for help with teaching. The authors would like to thank Linda Bandini Ph.D., for advising on this manuscript.

Funding

Appreciation is extended to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Board, in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, at the University of Cincinnati, for providing a grant to fund this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Laura Nabors, Olutosin Sanyaolu, Samuel Adabla & Danya Ghussin

  2. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Kara Ayers

Authors
  1. Laura Nabors
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  2. Olutosin Sanyaolu
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  3. Samuel Adabla
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  4. Danya Ghussin
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  5. Kara Ayers
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Contributions

LN designed the study. LN, OS, and SA executed the study. LN, OS, DG, and SA completed data analyses. All of the authors assisted with writing the manuscript. KA, LN, OS, and AS also edited the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura Nabors.

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Ethics Approval

This study was approved by the institutional review board at the University of Cincinnati.

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All participants provided consent or assent prior to participation.

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Nabors, L., Sanyaolu, O., Adabla, S. et al. Evaluation of the Eat and Exercise to Win Program: Improving Healthy Behaviors of Adults with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. Adv Neurodev Disord 7, 107–122 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-022-00290-6

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