ABSTRACT
A qualitative study was performed in the South of France among young people (16-25 years) affected by chromosomal anomalies: Down, velo-cardio-facial, or Williams-Beuren syndromes. We conducted interviews with them and with their parents to understand the obstacles to social participation that they most frequently face when becoming adults. Once their education comes to an end, young adults with developmental anomalies face several difficulties to develop and keep diversified social ties and to find their place in society, be it with a stable job - either in the ordinary working environment or in sheltered employment - or by attending occupational workshops. While parents are mostly concerned with finding a professional place for their children, the latter seem to especially value opportunities for satisfactory relational dynamics outside of the protective frame of the family. Nevertheless, a wish for familial protection keeps coexisting with their wish for independence.
TITLE: Délicates transitions - Construction d'une place d'adulte pour des jeunes vivant avec une anomalie chromosomique du développement. ABSTRACT: Nous avons mené une étude qualitative par entretiens individuels et collectifs (focus groups) auprès de jeunes (de 16 à 25 ans) touchés par une anomalie chromosomique (trisomie 21, microdélétion 22q11.2 associée au syndrome vélo-cardio-facial, ou microdélétion 7q11.23 associée au syndrome de Williams-Beuren) et de leurs familles, afin de comprendre les obstacles à la participation sociale qu'ils rencontrent lors du passage à l'âge adulte. Confrontés à de nombreuses contraintes pour développer des liens sociaux diversifiés et pour trouver une place sociale, professionnelle ou non, après la scolarité, ces jeunes semblent attribuer la plus grande importance à une dynamique relationnelle positive en dehors de l'espace familial, dont ils continuent toutefois de souhaiter la protection.
Subject(s)
Chromosome Aberrations , Adolescent , Child , France/epidemiology , Humans , Young AdultABSTRACT
Subject(s)
Body Image , Exercise , Obesity/rehabilitation , Patient Participation , Adult , Feeding Behavior , Female , Humans , Life Style , Male , Middle Aged , Obesity/psychology , StereotypingABSTRACT
Intellectually disabled (ID) people are at high risk of overweight and obesity. Prevalence and risk factors were assessed in a French population of ID adults attending specialized institutions, using a questionnaire focusing on demographic characteristics, physical activities, food habits and self-awareness about body and health. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate regression. Overall, 570 participants were included in the analysis (59% male), aged 19-59 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 24.9 kg/m(2); 45.6% of participants were overweight (BMI ≥ 25), including 17.2% who were obese (BMI ≥ 30). Participants practiced sports for 5.7h/week on average and were sedentary for 21.8h/week (time spent in front of some kind of screen). Most participants had food and self-care habits usually regarded as healthy. Eighty percent of them felt unhappy with their body and their physical capacities, but otherwise expressed a rather good opinion of themselves. Bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that some behavioral habits were associated with a reduced incidence of overweight and/or obesity, such as regular sport practice outside the institution, good personal body care or alcohol avoidance. The strongest risk factor was gender. Women were much more at risk than men of being overweight (53.9% versus 39.9%) and obese (28.2% versus 9.5%). Results suggest numerous ways to improve the health of institutionalized ID adults, related to sports education, nutrition and self-care, with particular attention paid to women.
Subject(s)
Intellectual Disability , Life Style , Motor Activity/physiology , Overweight , Adult , Eating/physiology , Eating/psychology , Female , France/epidemiology , Humans , Intellectual Disability/epidemiology , Intellectual Disability/physiopathology , Intellectual Disability/psychology , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Nutritional Status , Overweight/epidemiology , Overweight/physiopathology , Overweight/psychology , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Self Care/psychology , Social Behavior , Sports/statistics & numerical data , Young AdultABSTRACT
The study investigates the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a population of intellectually disabled (ID) adolescents. An observational study was conducted on a group of 410 ID children, living in France. Overweight and obesity, defined according to international standards, were analyzed and related to demographic and sociological parameters, educational care, physical activity and dietary habits. The study highlighted a high prevalence of overweight and obesity (19.0%) in ID adolescents and 22.5% in oldest teenagers, age 15-20 y. This observation was more likely in medico-educative institutes (25.1%) than in general schools (12.3%). Average time spent in physical activity was 4.5 h/week, compared with 3.5 h/week in obese subjects. Time spent in sedentary behavior was 26.6 h/week for the whole population, compared with 18.6 h/week in obese adolescents. Meals were ingested regularly, and adherence to eating breakfast was good. However, snacks and soft drinks were consumed between and during meals by 66.5% of subjects. Overweight in young ID appeared to be related to parental overweight. Even though ID adolescents receive a balanced diet and practice sport regularly, they exhibit a high prevalence for overweight and obesity. In subjects more than 15 years of age, enrollment in medico-educative institutes and parental overweight were contributory factors to poor weight status.