Physical activity patterns in children with and without Down syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To describe physical activity (PA) patterns in children with Down syndrome (DS) compared to their unaffected siblings.


METHODS
Children with DS (n = 28) and their siblings (n = 30), between 3-10-years (mean +/- SD 7.1 +/- 2.1 years) participated in a nutrition and growth study. PA was measured over 7 days using accelerometers.


RESULTS
Children with DS were younger (6.6 vs. 7.1 years) and heavier (BMI 18.4 vs. 16.7 kg m(-2)) than their siblings (p < 0.05). Overall, participants accumulated 2.5 hours per day in moderate- (MPA) and 59 min per day in vigorous-intensity activity (VPA), consistent with the current PA recommendations for children. Children with DS accumulated less VPA than their siblings (49.5 vs. 68.6 minutes per day; p = 0.04) and for shorter bouts (2.5 vs. 5.1 minutes per bout; p < 0.01), but spent similar time in MPA and low-intensity PA. Analyses adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, income, maternal education and BMI showed similar results.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with DS participated in less total and sustained VPA and had higher BMI levels compared with their siblings. Because children with DS have a tendency toward childhood obesity, increasing participation in VPA may be appropriate for prevention of obesity and promotion of lifelong health.
Whitt-Glover
Melicia C
MC
Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA. mwhitt@wfubmc.edu
O'Neill
Kristen L
KL
Stettler
Nicolas
N
D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004314:Down Syndrome; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D035781:Siblings