{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T17:59:18Z","timestamp":1788544758750,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]],"date-time":"2026-02-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772150400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"European Union\u2019s Horizon research and innovation program","award":["SC1848077"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["SC1848077"]}]},{"name":"DIUE de la Generalitat de Catalunya","award":["2021SGR00253"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021SGR00253"]}]},{"name":"Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovanci\u00f3n y Universidades","award":["PID2023-148033OB-C21"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PID2023-148033OB-C21"]}]},{"name":"Medical Research Council UK and Academy of Medical Sciences fellowship","award":["G0802796"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["G0802796"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100010269","name":"Wellcome Trust","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["217543\/Z\/19\/Z"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["217543\/Z\/19\/Z"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100010269","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100000268","name":"BBSRC","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["BB\/W018276\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["BB\/W018276\/1"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100000268","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100015652","name":"Barts Charity","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["G-002162"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["G-002162"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100015652","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Jerome Lejeune Foundation"},{"name":"MRC","award":["MR\/S011277\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MR\/S011277\/1"]}]},{"name":"MRC","award":["MR\/S005145\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MR\/S005145\/1"]}]},{"name":"MRC","award":["MR\/R024901\/1"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MR\/R024901\/1"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: It is often reported in the literature that the prevalence of obesity is high in individuals with Down Syndrome (DS). This study aims to assess how lifestyle factors\u2014diet quality, nutrient intake or physical activity\u2014contribute to weight gain. Methods: 230 males\/females with DS, aged 12\u201345 years, were recruited across three geographically independent sites. A total of 185 participants were considered for this analysis and classified into normal-weight, overweight, and obese categories. Diet quality and nutrient intake were calculated using country-specific FFQs. Physical activity was assessed with the Minnesota Leisure Time Activity Questionnaire. Body composition measures were obtained with a bioimpedance scale. Results: The study corroborates a higher prevalence (%) of overweight\/obesity in our DS cohort compared to the general population. Higher BMIs were significantly correlated with older age (p &lt; 0.001), lower physical activity (p &lt; 0.05), higher parental BMIs (p &lt; 0.001, mother\u2019s BMI; p &lt; 0.05, father\u2019s BMI), and increased adiposity indicators. Excess body weight showed an inverse association only with protein intake (p &lt; 0.001). No significant differences emerged in total caloric or other macronutrients intake across BMI categories. However, notable differences in dietary patterns were observed among the three countries, reflecting cultural influences. A smaller exploratory sub-study suggested a potential relationship between higher IQ scores and better diet quality (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: These findings provide new insights into contributors to overweight\/obesity in DS people, indicating an influence of age, physical activity, familial factors, and body composition. Higher protein intake and culturally adapted lifestyle interventions may contribute to improving weight-related outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18050779","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]],"date-time":"2026-02-27T17:05:16Z","timestamp":1772211916000},"page":"779","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Dietary Patterns and Lifestyle Factors as Determinants of Body Mass Index and Body Composition in Individuals with Down Syndrome\u2014A Study Across Three Clinical Sites"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Maria","family":"Gomis-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Boronat","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Klaus","family":"Langohr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya, 08028 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Leda A.","family":"Bianchi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King\u2019s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK"},{"name":"South London and the Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jasmine","family":"Wells","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King\u2019s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK"},{"name":"South London and the Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Miren","family":"Tamayo-Elizalde","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King\u2019s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK"},{"name":"South London and the Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"In\u00e9s","family":"Ben Smida","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institut J\u00e9r\u00f4me Lejeune, 75015 Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Laude","family":"De Verdun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institut J\u00e9r\u00f4me Lejeune, 75015 Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Li F.","family":"Chan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Endocrinology, William Harvey Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9932-0754","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anne","family":"Hiance-Delahaye","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institut J\u00e9r\u00f4me Lejeune, 75015 Paris, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9","family":"Strydom","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King\u2019s College London, London SE5 8AB, UK"},{"name":"South London and the Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, London SE5 8AZ, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rafael","family":"de la Torre","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neurosciences Research Group, Neurosciences Research Program, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n Biom\u00e9dica en Red de Fisiopatolog\u00eda de la Obesidad y la Nutrici\u00f3n, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"name":"GO-DS21 Consortium","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1002\/ajmg.c.31439","article-title":"Down syndrome: Cognitive and behavioral functioning across the lifespan","volume":"169","author":"Grieco","year":"2015","journal-title":"Am. 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