EC Nutrition

Keywords: Special Olympics Ireland (SOI); safefood; Intellectual Disabilities (ID); Nutrition; Play; Health Behaviours; Health Education

Background

Special Olympics Ireland (SOI) and safefood work with people across the island of Ireland, through the delivery of campaigns, research and supports in the community SOI provide an estimated 8,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID) meaningful opportunities to participate in sport, competition and health programmes. People with ID experience more ill health and have a lower average life expectancy than the general population. However, a lot of these chronic illnesses and diseases are preventable through appropriate health education and prevention programmes targeted to meet the needs of people with ID. Health@Play aims to improve health and wellbeing amongst children with ID, in order to establish positive health behaviours from an early age as good habits set in childhood can last a lifetime. The programme aims to prevent the development of chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease among this population.  This programme, in its scale, is the biggest initiative targeted at children with ID currently available.