Community-based program for promoting exercise by wheelchair users

People with disabilities engage in significantly less physical activity, have significantly higher obesity rates, have significantly more chronic health problems such as diabetes and heart disease, and are significantly more likely to report fair to poor health. Notably, many of the health problems facing people with disabilities are preventable. Unfortunately, people with disabilities have generally been left out of health promotion efforts and therefore represent a large, but underserved group. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the effectiveness of intervention promoting exercise adoption for community-dwelling wheelchair users and to present evidence regarding obesity and body composition among study participants.

Exercise trial participants (n=128) were randomly assigned to self-guided or staff-supported arms. Both received the same educational content and weekly calls, only the delivery of educational content and support differed between arms. The primary study outcome was self-reported weekly aerobic exercise and strength training; secondary outcomes included changes in aerobic capacity and strength. Participants' mean age was 44.6 + 12.6 years, lived a mean of 22.3 + 15.9 years with disability, were mostly white (85.9%), and 50% men. Results from the analyses of the data indicated that at the same height, weight, and BMI wheelchair users had significantly higher total body fat and their percent of body fat was significantly higher for the total body, the legs and trunk, but not the arms. Implications of all these findings will be discussed.