A study assessing physical fitness in Japanese adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) found they perform worse than their typically developing (TD) peers. The research, based on data from Japan’s 2023 National Survey on Physical Fitness, included 2,216 adolescents with IDD and 921,297 TD students. Key variables measured included height, weight, physical activity levels, and performance in eight fitness tests, such as handgrip strength and shuttle runs.

Results showed that, after adjusting for height, weight, and activity levels, adolescents with IDD consistently scored lower on all fitness tests. The IDD group also exhibited nearly double the obesity rates and significantly less weekly physical activity compared to TD peers. Increased total weekly physical activity was linked to better fitness evaluations.

The findings indicate a pressing need for targeted interventions to enhance physical activity and overall health outcomes for adolescents with IDD in Japan.