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Body mass index for Saudi children with Down's syndrome
1Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. mhusain97@hotmail.com
Insights
This study found that Saudi children with Down's syndrome (DS) show a tendency towards overweight, not obesity, with linear body mass index (BMI) curves. New BMI reference percentile curves were created for monitoring growth in children with DS.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Genetics
- Public Health
Background:
- Children with Down's syndrome (DS) exhibit a higher prevalence of obesity compared to the general pediatric population.
- Accurate growth monitoring tools are essential for managing health conditions in children with DS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi children under 5 years with uncomplicated DS.
- To establish reference body mass index (BMI) percentile curves specifically for this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Prospective measurement of BMI in 785 children with DS.
- Comparison of BMI data with 989 healthy Saudi children.
- Evaluation against international BMI cut-off points for age and gender.
Main Results:
- Overweight, rather than obesity, was identified as a tendency in Saudi children with DS.
- Mean BMI percentile curves for children with DS showed linearity towards international cut-off points.
- Novel BMI reference percentile curves were successfully constructed.
Conclusions:
- The developed BMI reference curves are valuable for monitoring the growth and physical development of Saudi children with DS up to age 5.
- These curves aid in the early identification of potential weight-related health issues in this population.
Aim:
Children with Down's syndrome (DS) have a higher prevalence of obesity than children without DS. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of overweight/obesity and to establish reference body mass index (BMI) percentile curves for Saudi children with uncomplicated DS below the age of 5 y.
Methods:
BMI was measured prospectively in 785 children with DS and compared with 989 Saudi children without DS. Both groups were compared with the international cut-off point figures for age and gender.
Results:
Obesity was not a prominent features in Saudi children with DS and their mean BMI curves were linear to the international cut-off points for BMI, indicating a clear tendency for overweight. BMI reference percentile curves were constructed.
Conclusion:
Reference curves for BMI worked out in this study, taken in conjunction with those for height and weight, will be useful in monitoring the size and shape of Saudi children with DS up to the age of 5 y.
