University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications

Title

Parent support improves weight loss in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome

UMMS Affiliation

Shriver Center; Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center

Publication Date

2013-11-01

Document Type

Article

Subjects

Adipose Tissue; Adolescent; Adult; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Down Syndrome; Female; Food Habits; Fruit; Health Behavior; Health Education; Humans; Intervention Studies; Male; *Parenting; Parents; *Social Support; Treatment Outcome; Vegetables; *Weight Loss; Young Adult

Disciplines

Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms | Mental Disorders | Nutrition | Pediatrics

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether parent training in behavioral intervention, combined with a 16-session nutrition and activity education program, would improve weight loss relative to nutrition and activity education alone in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-one patients with Down syndrome aged 13-26 years with a body mass index > /= 85th percentile were enrolled and randomized to a 6-month nutrition and activity education intervention (n = 10) or to a nutrition and activity education+behaviorial intervention (n = 11), and followed for 6 months after the active intervention period (1-year follow-up). The primary outcome measure was body weight; secondary outcomes included percentage body fat by bioelectric impedance; intake of fruits, vegetables, and energy-dense low-nutrient snack food (treats) by 3-day food record; and moderate/vigorous physical activity by accelerometry.

RESULTS: At 6 months, mean body weight in the nutrition and activity education+behavioral intervention group was 3.2 kg lower than that in the nutrition and activity education group (95% CI, 1.0-5.5 kg; P = .005). Mean group differences were sustained at 1 year (3.6 kg; 95% CI, 1.4-5.9 kg; P = .002). At 6 months, moderate/vigorous physical activity time increased by an average of 18 minutes/day compared with baseline in the nutrition and activity education+behavioral intervention group (P = .01) and decreased by 7 minutes/day in the nutrition and activity education group (P = .30). These changes were largely maintained at 1 year, but were not statistically significant. Vegetable intake in the nutrition and activity education+behavioral intervention group exceeded that in the nutrition and activity education group by a mean of 1.6 servings at 1 year (P = .009), but not at 6 months. No between-group differences were observed for percentage body fat or consumption of fruits or treats.

CONCLUSION: Parent-supported behavioral intervention appears to be a successful adjunct to a 6-month nutrition education intervention in achieving weight loss in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome.

Keywords

UMCCTS funding

DOI of Published Version

10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.06.081

Source

Curtin C, Bandini LG, Must A, Gleason J, Lividini K, Phillips S, Eliasziw M, Maslin M, Fleming RK. Parent support improves weight loss in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome. J Pediatr. 2013 Nov;163(5):1402-8.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.06.081. Epub 2013 Aug 20. PubMed PMID: 23968742; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3812279. Link to article on publisher's site

Related Resources

Link to Article in PubMed

Journal/Book/Conference Title

The Journal of pediatrics

PubMed ID

23968742

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