Program Overview
NDSS created an eight-week, evidence-informed health promotion program for adults with Down syndrome or other intellectual and developmental disabilities. 321go! focuses on building knowledge, self-efficacy, and social support in the areas of physical activity, balanced nutrition, and emotional wellness by providing education, supporting goal setting, and fostering independence through skill building. The eight-week program is designed for adults with Down syndrome to participate with a supportive person of their choice (e.g., family member, close friend, caregiver) to encourage social support and act as an accountability partner for lifestyle changes. The curriculum includes slides, an instructor guide, script, and other educational materials for eight 90-minute sessions. Each session of the curriculum includes practical elements to teach the foundations of the three main health topics: physical activity, balanced nutrition, and emotional wellness.
Program Objectives
The 321go! program aims to increase participant knowledge related to health behaviors, self-efficacy, and social support. Participating in 321go! will lead to increase in adherence to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the number of emotional wellness strategies practiced each week. These changes can lead to adopting a healthier lifestyle which can contribute to weight loss and/or maintenance, improved insulin sensitivity, lower risk of falls, reduced risk of depression and anxiety, better cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength, enhanced emotional resiliency, and enhanced quality of life.
Program Development
The 321go! program is based on three daily goals: completing 30 minutes of physical activity, eating at least two servings of each of the five food groups, and practicing at least one emotional wellness strategy. These goals and educational materials included in the program were adapted from the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, USDA MyPlate materials, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Emotional Wellness Toolkit.
Target Population
The 321go! program is designed to meet the learning needs of individuals with Down syndrome. Adults with Down syndrome often experience a lack of available programming as they age. 321go! provides an opportunity to close this gap. The recommendations in the program are based on government guidelines for adults, however, the program can be adopted to meet the needs of a younger audience. Including a supportive person of a participant’s choice allows for learning through role modeling, sharing in discussions, providing individual support, and encouraging goal tracking. While designed for individuals with Down syndrome, the 321go! program and materials are appropriate for any individual with intellectual or development disability interested in living a healthier life.
Included Materials and Activities
The instructor guide includes background on the program and information on how to get started such as finding an instructor, budgeting, and preparing to offer the program. There is a facilitator script and lesson plan for each of the eight sessions. Included in the materials are instructor slides for each session, sample workouts, nutrition and emotional wellness handouts, healthy snack recipes, and take-home newsletters.
Evaluation Materials
Organizations can benefit from monitoring the implementation and outcomes of the 321go! program. Data can be used to understand the impact of the program, assess if the program was implemented as designed, and measure the satisfaction of the participants, which aids in decision making for future programming. Evaluation results can also be integrated into funding proposals and reports. Granting organizations and foundations like to see that programs they’re funding have demonstrated impact in the past. NDSS also benefits from learning from your program evaluation. Sharing your results helps us make more informed decisions about the next steps with 321go! and other health programming models. Please contact 321go!@ndss.org for more information on evaluation materials or to share your results with us.