Brief Report: Obesogenic Behaviors of Children with Developmental Disabilities During Summer

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 734 - 740
• Main Authors: Brazendale, Keith, Brazendale, Allison B., Garcia, Jeanette M., Monroe, Courtney M., Weaver, R. Glenn, Beets, Michael W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.02.2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Body Weight; Brief Report; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child Health; Children; Children with disabilities; Cohort Studies; Day Camp Programs; Developmental Disabilities; Developmental Disabilities - diagnosis; Developmental Disabilities - psychology; Developmentally disabled children; Diet; Diet - psychology; Diet - trends; Dietetics; Exercise - physiology; Exercise - psychology; Female; Fitness Trackers - trends; Health aspects; Health Behavior; Humans; Intervention; Life Style; Male; Neurosciences; Obesity; Obesity in children; Parents - psychology; Pediatric research; Pediatrics; Physical activity; Physical Activity Level; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Public Health; Risk factors; Screen Time; Seasons; Sedentary Behavior; Sleep; Sleep - physiology; Summer; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time use; Timing; Wrist; United States; Autism; Summer; Activity; Sleep; Children; Diet
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-020-04566-5

The ‘Structured Days Hypothesis’ suggests that children’s obesogenic behaviors (e.g., activity, diet, sleep, and screen time) are less favorable during times when there is less-structure to a child’s day (e.g., summer). To compare obesogenic behaviors of children with developmental disabilities (DD) during summer on days with differing amounts of ‘structure’. Seventeen children with DD (mean age 9.8 years) attending a day camp wore a Fitbit © activity monitor on the non-dominant wrist during summer, and parents completed a survey packet, to capture obesogenic behaviors. Participants displayed improved physical activity levels, diets, and sleep timing on camp days versus other days. Providing children with DD ‘structure’ over summer is a potential intervention approach requiring further investigation.