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A combined training intervention programme increases lean mass in youths with Down syndrome
Alejandro González-Agüero1, Germán Vicente-Rodríguez, Alba Gómez-Cabello
1Growth, Exercise, NUtrition and Development, Research Group, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain. alexgonz@unizar.es
Research in Developmental Disabilities
|August 9, 2011
Summary
This study found that 21 weeks of exercise and plyometric jumps training increased lean mass in youths with Down syndrome (DS). However, the training program did not significantly alter body fat mass in participants with DS.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Sports Science
- Human Kinetics
Background:
- Down syndrome (DS) is associated with unique physiological characteristics.
- Understanding the impact of exercise interventions on body composition in youth with DS is crucial for health and development.
- Previous research has explored various training modalities, but specific effects of plyometric training on lean and fat mass in this population require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of a 21-week conditioning and plyometric jumps training program on lean mass and fat mass in youths with Down syndrome (DS).
- To determine if this combined training approach can lead to significant changes in total and regional body composition.
- To compare the outcomes between an exercise group and a control group.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-six participants with DS (aged 10-19 years) were divided into an exercise group (EG; n=13) and a control group (CG).
- Body composition (total and regional lean and fat mass) was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at baseline and after 21 weeks.
- Statistical analyses included ANCOVA and repeated measures ANOVA, adjusted for height and Tanner stage, to compare group differences and changes over time.
Main Results:
- The exercise group (EG) demonstrated significant increases in total and lower limb lean mass after the 21-week intervention (p < 0.05).
- No significant changes in overall adiposity depots were observed in the EG, while the control group (CG) showed a decrease in upper limb fat mass.
- Time by exercise interactions confirmed improvements in whole body and lower limb lean mass in the EG compared to the CG.
Conclusions:
- A 21-week program of conditioning combined with plyometric jumps training is effective for increasing lean body mass in youths with Down syndrome.
- This specific training intervention did not lead to significant reductions in body fat mass in the studied population.
- Further research may be needed to explore strategies for modulating fat mass in conjunction with lean mass improvements in youth with DS through exercise.
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