Nutritional status and motor balance in students with Down syndrome for inclusion in physical education class

Abstract

Introduction: Down syndrome is a genetic disorder attributed to a chromosomal abnormality, which shows a series of physical and cognitive symptoms that arise as an effect of the syndrome specifically, one of the main effects is the lack of balance that is generated in the subjects who present this condition, as well as obesity or overweight conditions. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional status and motor balance of students with Down syndrome. Methodology: the methodology of the case study of a tenth-grade student of an educational institution. It is a descriptive study taking into consideration the compilation of nutritional energy intake and energy expenditure per 24-hour reminder and the application of the KTK test for the measurement of balance. Results: The results show a degree of overweight of the research subject according to the BMI curve table for children with Down Syndrome, and lack of balance according to the results presented by the applied test. A proposal for a system of physical exercises and "school for parents" workshops is established to induce adequate nutrition for the research subject. Conclusions: The analysis of energy expenditure and caloric expenditure is modified by the conditioning of the syndrome presented by the research subject, which implies that his body schema, specifically the development of his balance, is significantly affected; however, within the characteristics of Down syndrome, a margin of affectation in balance can be generated from the degree of overweight that the subject presents.