The Relationship Between Nutritional Intake, Body Composition, and Physical Activity with the Level of Physical Fitness in Children with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

This study analyzed the relationship between macro nutrient intake, body composition, and physical activity with physical fitness levels in 40 children with mild intellectual disabilities aged 15-19 years in Semarang, using a correlational survey method with standard instruments such as 24-hour food recall, BIA, PAQ-A, and TKSI level 4. The results of bivariate and multivariate analyses consistently showed that there was no statistically significant relationship or influence between nutritional intake (energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates), body composition (fat, visceral fat, BMI), and physical activity on physical fitness, as all significance values were above 0.05. This insignificance is believed to be due to the demands on cognitive aspects and movement coordination, which are more dominant than nutritional adequacy, as well as the unstructured and low-intensity nature of physical activity. Therefore, it is concluded that physical fitness in children with mild intellectual disabilities is more influenced by factors outside the scope of this study, such as basic motor skills, neuromuscular coordination, ability to follow instructions, and environmental support, especially the role of parents and teachers.