Eating habits of young children with Down syndrome in The Netherlands: adequate nutrient intakes but delayed introduction of solid food.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate nutritional status, pattern of being breast-fed, age at introduction of solid food, and adequacy of energy and nutrient intakes in children with Down syndrome in The Netherlands.


METHODS
Nutritional status was assessed by height and weight measurements. The dietary history method was used to collect information on the diet. Data obtained from children with Down syndrome were compared with data from control subjects and from the general population of Dutch children. Adequacy of energy and nutrient intakes was assessed by comparison to US recommendations.


METHODS
Forty-four Dutch children with Down syndrome (newborns to 4-year-olds) and 37 healthy control subjects without this syndrome.


METHODS
The prevalence of breast-feeding of children with and without Down syndrome was compared using the chi 2 test. To compare ages at which solid food was introduced, the log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier curves were used. Anthropometric data and mean dietary intake were compared between the groups using 2-way analysis of variance. Comparison to recommended levels of dietary intake was performed using 95% confidence intervals.


RESULTS
Heights and weights of the children with Down syndrome were in the normal range. Down syndrome does not affect the prevalence of breast-feeding of children or the adequacy of their energy and nutrient intakes, but it does significantly delay the age at which solid food is introduced, which can be deleterious to oral-motor development.


CONCLUSIONS
If late introduction of solid food is observed in children with Down syndrome, pre-speech therapy should be considered.
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands.
E
E
Hopman
C G
CG
Csizmadia
W F
WF
Bastiani
Q M
QM
Engels
E A
EA
de Graaf
S
S
le Cessie
M L
ML
Mearin
D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004435:Eating; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010865:Pilot Projects