Body adiposity and abdominal muscle resistance in young people with Down syndrome

Abstract

Objective: to verify the relationship between abdominal muscle endurance and the level of body fat, measured through the waist-to-height ratio, in young people with Down syndrome (DS).

Patients and Method: A comparative descriptive study was carried out in 115 young people with DS (n = 65 men and n = 50 women) aged between 10 and 18 years, from the Maule Region. Age, weight, height, and waist circumference were evaluated. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. The abdominal muscle endurance test (AME) was evaluated in 60 seconds and classified into two categories (low AME and acceptable AME).

Results: Subjects of both sexes classified with adequate levels of AME showed lower WHtR and BMI values (p < 0.05), while those classified with low levels of AME showed higher values of WHtR and BMI (p < 0.05). The correlations between adiposity and AME were negative and ranged in both sexes from r = 0.20 to 0.25, p < 0.05.

Conclusion: The study showed that young people of both sexes with DS classified with adequate levels of AME, presented decreased values of WHtR.