SAT-823 Exercise Program to Improve Cardiometabolic Risk in Adults With Neurodevelopmental and Intellectual Disabilities - A Quality Improvement Project

Abstract Disclosure: N. Shah: None. P. May: None. D. Slucher: None. J. Palmieri: None. S.L. Mokshagundam: None. Background: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) encompass intellectual disabilities and behavioral dysregulation that begin during development. Improved quality of care has resulted in increasing lifespan of these individuals and many of them are seen in adult clinics. There is growing recognition of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality in this population. Changes in body composition including increased total and truncal fat mass and decrease in muscle mass contribute to this increase in CVD risk. A decrease in meaningful physical exercise and increased sedentary time need to be addressed. Methods: The Lee Specialty Clinic provides medical, behavioral, and dental care exclusively for adults with NDD. The Southwest Center of Kentucky provides a wide range of community based services to individuals with NDD. In the first phase the 2 centers partnered to establish a special 3-month Fitness Program in Louisville, KY for 12 adults with IDD. The program consisted of in-person 1-hour sessions, 3 days/week that were led by a trained fitness expert. Each session involved a variety of different exercises that were assigned to patients based on their specific needs & capabilities. Parameters analyzed in this study included Weight, Body Composition (Muscle & Fat), Steps Per Day, Timed Walk Test, Grip Strength, Cognition, Mood, and Behavior. Levels of each parameter were measured over a span of three months and then compared to baseline. Results: Over a 3-month period, several improvements in physical and mental health were noted. this included lower average weights (-19 lbs), higher average skeletal muscle index (+1.2%), lower average truncal fat index (-0.8%), higher average steps per day (+720 steps/day), lower average time recorded for the timed walk test (-0.22 sec), higher average grip strength (+12 kgs), higher average cognition levels (+0.08 items), higher average overall happiness levels (+0.16 on Likert scale), lower average degree of food intake (-0.1 on Likert scale), and lower average degree of maladaptive behavior (-0.1 on Likert scale) for a sample size of 12 patients. Over the period of this QI program it was noted that a key to success was caregiver support. Furthermore, difficulty in documenting changes in physical activity using patient / caregiver provided records. In order to further improve outcomes it was decided to use Fitabase, which allows the user of the activity watch to automatically upload data generated by the Fitbit watch to the Fitabase, Inc. website, and automatically record levels of seven parameters of physical activity. Also, we have included care givers to participate in the fitness program. We will evaluate the role of care giver motivation on patient response to fitness program. Conclusion: It is feasible to develop a fitness program for adults with developmental disabilities. Presentation: Saturday, July 12, 2025