Overweight and obesity amongst Down's syndrome adults.

The team weighed 201 adults with Down syndrome. They noted who lived in family homes and who lived in staffed houses.

The goal was to see how many people were overweight or obese and if housing mattered.

Almost half of the men and women were obese. Another quarter were simply overweight.

People in family homes carried more extra pounds than people in supervised settings.

Rasing et al. (1992) saw the same high numbers three years earlier, so the problem is not new.

Kovačič et al. (2020) later showed that Down syndrome carries the highest obesity rate of all developmental disabilities, making our group the top priority.

McQuaid et al. (2024) adds a twist: in Down syndrome, extra weight does not raise blood sugar or cholesterol the way it does in other adults. The scale still matters, but metabolic labs may fool you.

Kittler et al. (2004) tracked the same adults as they aged and found weight drops when Alzheimer’s begins, so lifelong monitoring is key.

You now know that obesity is the norm, not the exception, for adults with Down syndrome. Check BMI at every visit and note the living arrangement. If the client lives with family, add nutrition coaching for caregivers. If weight falls later in life, screen for dementia. These simple steps keep you ahead of predictable changes.