A study on the examination of eating behaviors and eating habits of individuals with Down syndrome

Abstract

Down syndrome, which is one of the most common chromosal disorders, is caused by an extra chromosome in the 21st chromosome pair of people as a result of genetic irregularity. The attitudes of individuals with Down syndrome towards nutritional behavior were examined and interview technique, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in this study. 20 individuals with a diagnosis of Down syndrome between the ages of 14-36, who live in the city of Denizli and who have the capacity to answer the questions asked to them, participated in the study. 80% of the individuals included in the research have above normal body mass index, 65% are in the category of slightly fat and 15% are in the category of fat. When the findings related to the nutritional habits of individuals were examined, it was seen that 85% of the individuals had 3 meals, 10% of the individuals had 5 meals and 5% of the individuals had 4 meals. This shows that none of the individuals skipped meals. When the participants were asked, "Are you trying not to eat some foods because they cause you to gain weight?” All of the responses from the participants were "No, I cannot give up, because I love to eat". This situation supports the fact that individuals included in the research could not control their weight. This result shows that the individuals included in the research do not have the knowledge that obesity may threaten their health. For this reason, it is essential to educate these individuals about nutrition. Nutrition education should be given both to individuals with down syndrome and their parents.