Research has indicated the prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years has continued to increase, and has been more significant for adolescents with intellectual disabilities. This knowledge combined with additional research revealed that adolescents do not fully understand the ramifications that current lifestyle choices have on their future health as adults demonstrates the necessity to provide relevant educational programming addressing health promotion. Educators have access and use of their state’s educational standards of learning (SOLs) to frame instructional content on health concepts and issues for students within a regular education setting. However, similar resources are lacking for special educators instructing students with intellectual disabilities on these same health concepts and isssue. The proposed project, Healthy Choices = Healthy Life health promotion manual will address this area of need. The manual is designed for occupational therapists, special education teachers, and school-based health professionals’ use when instructing students with intellectual disabilities on the health promotion core concepts of nutrition, healthier food choices, and physical fitness for the prevention of obesity and other chronic disease.
