PC1162: Impact of the Momentum Program, a Free Program Designed to Get Kids Moving, at a School for Participants with Special Needs

Background: Obesity rates in adolescents and children have tripled in the last two decades. With a well established long term impact including increased risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension as well as short term impact on mood, it is imperative that this growing problem be addressed. Special needs populations are at increased risk secondary to medications, strong food preferences, and certain genetic impact on metabolic dysregulation. Particular attention has been paid to the barriers of physical activity in these pediatric populations, as many people are limited by their primary syndrome, difficulties with social skills and communication, and need for educated supervision.

Momentum was created as an after school program to help prevent and treat childhood obesity and the associated diseases. It teaches children physical fitness skills including strength, endurance, and coordination as well as nutrition through guided after school exercises, games, and classes. Having had success in multiple other locations in the Jacksonville, Florida area, it was brought to the North Florida School of Special Education. There it were it was able to provide the specialized attention that this population needs. This study is to describe the impact of the participant’s involvement on the program and to allow for continuance, further expansion and replication of the program’s processes.

Methods: Through descriptive statistical analysis we describe the program influence on changes in BMI, neck and waist circumference and physical fitness collected over a 9 month period.

Results: The primary endpoint, BMI percentile, demonstrated an increase of 4.1%. While this is an increase over baseline, it may represent a lower rate of increase than would be realized in this developmentally disabled population than without the Program. While this comparison needs further exploration, some of the secondary outcomes including the participant's waist circumference and the assessments of the four exercises to help determine the physical fitness of the participants improved. These exercises include drill, standing broad jump, balance beam, and wall ball, with an average improvement by 7% in these activities.

Conclusion: Therefore, while there are further barriers in the population to overcome in regard to obesity, the Momentum Program has enabled fitness training designed to promote strength, agility, endurance and mentorship for these special needs individuals with the achievement of improving physical fitness.