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. 2024 Mar 29;12(4):68.
doi: 10.3390/diseases12040068.

Lipid Profile, Eating Habit, and Physical Activity in Children with Down Syndrome: A Prospective Study

Luca Pecoraro  1 , Melissa Zadra  2 , Francesco Cavallin  3 , Silvana Lauriola  1 , Giorgio Piacentini  1 , Angelo Pietrobelli  1   4
Affiliations

Lipid Profile, Eating Habit, and Physical Activity in Children with Down Syndrome: A Prospective Study

Luca Pecoraro et al. Diseases. .

Abstract

Children with Down Syndrome (DS) frequently undergo health challenges, including a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity. We aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary and physical advice provided by a specialized pediatrician over two years. In this prospective study, 44 children with DS, aged 2 to 17, underwent outpatient follow-up visits every six months between December 2020 and May 2023. Dietary habits, physical activities, anthropometric data, and laboratory results were recorded at baseline and 2-year follow-up. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and physical activity were investigated using the 'KIDMED' and 'Godin-Shepard Leisure-Time' questionnaires, respectively, completed by the parents of the children. Venous blood samples were taken to determine the lipid profile. A significant reduction in BMI z-scores (p = 0.006) and an improvement in Godin-Shepard questionnaire scores (p = 0.0004) were observed. On the other hand, the lipid profile worsened, with an increase in LDL-c (p = 0.04) and a decrease in HDL-c (p = 0.03). Children with DS may benefit from an educational program on nutrition and physical activity to optimize weight control. Different interventions should target the lipid profile. Preventive intervention and follow-up by the pediatrician are essential for DS, which should continue into adulthood.

Keywords: Godin questionnaire; KIDMED questionnaire; Mediterranean diet; childhood obesity; down syndrome; dyslipidemia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of Godin score (physical activity) and KIDMED score (adherence to the Mediterranean diet) at the baseline visit and 2-year follow-up visit: box and whiskers plots.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Variation in BMI z-score and lipid profile at baseline visit and 2-year follow-up visit: box and whiskers plots.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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