The purpose of this study is to determine whether a nutrition and physical activity education program for families of overweight or obese adolescents with Down syndrome is more effective when behavioral lifestyle change strategies are added.
Children with intellectual disabilities, including Down syndrome (DS), are as likely to be overweight than their typically developing peers. The consequences of childhood obesity include increased risk for Type-2 diabetes, orthopedic problems, sleep apnea, elevated cardiovascular risk and menstrual irregularities. Research indicating a high prevalence of overweight, obesity, low fitness levels and other health problems among adults with DS suggest the need for more attention to health promotion among adolescents with DS, which has been limited to date. Educational interventions in nutrition and physical activity have not been tested through randomized clinical trial with families of adolescents with DS; nor have behavioral "lifestyle change" interventions based on Social Cognitive Theory. Among typical populations, the addition of training in behavior and lifestyle change to education-alone interventions increasingly is being seen as critical in helping to promote long-term weight loss and weight maintenance. The hypothesis of this study is that a parent supported weight reduction (PSWR) intervention that combines behavioral strategies with nutrition and activity education (NAE) will be more effective in reducing overweight in adolescents with DS than a program that provides NAE alone or a Wait-List (WL) control.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
21
Parents of participants receive training in behavioral support at home in order to facilitate lifestyle change associated with dietary choices and physical activity designed to produce gradual weight loss.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMASS Medical School
Waltham, Massachusetts, United States
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.