Sickle Cell FIT: Increasing Physical Activity in Youth with Sickle Cell Disease

Cynthia Karlson, Ph.D.
University of Mississippi Medical Center

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common genetic condition in the world. SCD affects over 100,000 individuals, predominately Black Americans, in the United States. SCD is a chronic, disabling, life-threatening condition. Importantly, nearly 25% of children and adolescents with SCD are now overweight or obese. The increasing rate of overweight/obesity in youth with SCD compounds the concern for cardiovascular disease, pain, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetes in this population. Individuals with SCD are disproportionately underserved by both the medical and research communities, due in large part to institutional racism and social determinants of health (poverty, low health literacy, limited access to healthcare).

The Sickle Cell FIT program will include two arms: (1) Community Outreach and (2) Warrior FIT. Regarding the Community Outreach program, Sickle Cell FIT will partner with the UMMC Pediatric Sickle Cell Program to create educational materials on the risk of obesity and benefits of safe exercise in youth with SCD. We will also create the Warrior FIT 8-week intervention and monthly wellness group. Warrior FIT is based on research that suggests moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and low-strain muscle training will be most effective for individuals with SCD.

We will enroll 40 patients 12-21 years old into this 8-week pilot feasibility and effectiveness intervention program. The Warrior FIT program will teach safe home exercises through a combination of in-person and telehealth visits. This research ultimately aims to educate the healthcare system, policymakers, community, and patients regarding the risks related to overweight/obesity and benefits of safe exercise in individuals with SCD, in order to reduce health disparities in this vulnerable population.