ABSTRACT
Physically active people of all ages generally tend to be healthier than their sedentary counterparts. As this also applies to individuals with visual impairments (VIs), we need to determine the most effective strategies for encouraging individuals with VIs to engage in physical activity (PA) at the level necessary to achieve fitness. The findings reviewed in this chapter reveal the risk of lower levels of participation in physical activity, poorer physical fitness, less muscle strength, more mental health problems, and higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among people with VIs compared with those with no reported VI. We need longitudinal and randomized studies of high quality to further understand these concerns. It is important to collect optimal information about diagnosis, age at onset of VI, fitness, PA, Braille use, gender, economics, and support systems. Measurements of physical activity, fitness, and health should be collected over time, and different age groups should be included.
