Anthropometric observation of adults with Down syndrome

Abstract

Estimates of body composition were made for a group of male and female adults with Down syndrome. Somatotype assessments revealed that all subjects had high endomorphic components (62% were classified as mesomorphic-endomorphs). Values for percentage body fat were compared with those reported for a nonhandicapped population. Results showed abnormally high percentage body fat for subjects with Down syndrome when compared by age and sex with nonretarded groups. Body fat did not increase with age but was consistently high at all age levels within the group, suggesting that elevation of body fat levels occurred prior to adulthood.