OBESITY AND OVERWEIGHT AND ACCOMPANYING METABOLIC DISORDERS OCCUR IN CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME

Anna Stefanowicz-Bielska^{1, *}, Jolanta Wierzba¹, Joanna Stefanowicz², Anna Owczarzak³, Andrzej Chamienia⁴

¹Laboratory of Pediatric Nursing, Department of Internal and Pediatric Nursing, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences with Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk; Debinki Street 7, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland - ²Department of Paediatrics, Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk; Debinki Street 7, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland - ³Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences with Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland; Debinki Street 7, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland - ⁴Laboratory of Internal Nursing, Department of Internal and Pediatric Nursing, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences with Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk; Debinki Street 7, 80-211, Gdansk, Poland

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of overweight, obesity, selected metabolic disorders and additional chronic diseases in children with Down syndrome (DS).

Materials and methods: The study was conducted in a group of children with DS under the care of the Department of Pediatrics, Hematology and Oncology of the Medical University of Gdansk from May 2017 to December 2018.

Results: The study included 26 female patients and 22 male patients with DS, aged 7 to 18 years. The children were divided into two groups: a group with normal body weight and underweight and a group with obesity and overweight. Overweight and obesity were diagnosed in 19% of children with DS. Higher values of HDL cholesterol were found in patients with normal body mass and underweight than in patients with obesity and overweight (p=0.009). Higher values of uric acid were found in the group of patients with obesity and overweight than in the normal mass and underweight group (p=0.012). The children who are physically active have normal body weight (p=0.039).

Conclusions: Obesity and overweight in patients with DS are linked to elevated uric acid levels and lipid disorders and the role of salusin-β as an early indicator of metabolic disorders in children with DS was not demonstrated. Due to the incidence of disorders, continuous nursing care, check-ups and continuous health education of families is necessary.