PRELIMINARY RESULTS of an ongoing study of mentally disabled (MD) children confirm that they are less fit than others. But with proper training, many MD children can become shining sports stars.
In 2001, a team of researchers from the department of physical education at Hong Kong Baptist University (BU) visited eight special schools and tested the fitness levels of 736 MD children from Primary One to Secondary Three.
The findings were not surprising. Compared with other children, MD children were fatter, weaker at running, push-ups and sit-ups. Their bodies were also less flexible.
But that does not mean MD children are mostly couch potatoes.
Presenting the findings at a gathering of the BU's Faculty of Social Science recently, Dr Chow Bik-chu, one of the researchers, said: 'They do enjoy games with more rigorous physical movement.
'They particularly like moving to music with strong beats and rhythms.'