Association for Behavior Analysis International

Individuals with disabilities are disproportionately more likely to be overweight or obese compared to the general population. With the other health concerns that go along with disabilities, specifically Down Syndrome, this creates the need for a program to increase physical activity. There are several biological characteristics common among individuals with the diagnosis which make them more prone to obesity, such as hypothyroidism, a lower basal metabolic rate, and an increase in leptin along with behavioral characteristics such as oppositional behavior, noncompliance, and inattention (Murray & Ryan-Krause, 2010). Current literature on the use of activity trackers for behavioral intervention is available, but none have specifically focused on individuals with disabilities. The present study utilized fitness trackers to make slow, incremental increases in the daily walking activity of adults with Down Syndrome who are considered obese. The study included five participants living with their families, four males and one female, who ranged in age from 22 to 30. Participants were supported in the intervention by an adult caregiver, which in each case was their mother. The intervention included the provision of a Fitbit worn daily, weekly performance goals, daily performance monitoring on a phone app, weekly data review by phone with the researcher and a caregiver, and immediate reinforcers for goal attainment delivered in the home setting by the adult caregiver in the household. Following implementation of the intervention, all participants increased their frequency of steps taken per day 30% over baseline averages.