FOOD HABITS IN DOWN

OF 10 YEARS OR MORE

 

Renato COCCHI, a neurologist and a medical psychologist

 

(Italian translation)

Summary

The records of 101 Down subjects out of a not selected consecutive series of 518 (36 F + 75 M; age: range: 10-43, average: 13.68 years+ 5.16; chromosomal anomalies: Unknown = 6.73%, pure trisomy 21 = 83.17 %, mosaicisms = 6.93%, translocations = 2.97%) were reexamined for food habits.

Liking for sweets, meat or cube broth, milk and derivatives, bread and pasta, meat, fish, cooked vegetables, raw vegetables and fruit were collected and scored according to 3-7 points scales.

The results show that most Downs, since their 10-12 years appreciate milk and derivatives, bread and pasta, meat and cooked vegetables. From 10 years Downs increase their taste for fish and about 70% of them like it since their 13-15 years. The taste for raw vegetables seems well established in about 47% of 10-12 years old Down and it goes further until adult age. Most Downs normally eat fruit, since they are 16-18. In this study 12 subjects aged 16 or more out of 21 (57.14%) refused or had scarce preference for sweet things. About 65% of these Downs have a liking for meat broth or cube broth and most of them since their 10-12 years.

Food habits in Down could inform on diet and brain neurotransmitters that have their precursors in foods.

Key words: Down’s syndrome; food habits; diet; neurotransmitters’ precursors.

 

Down's syndrome

* Mental retardation

* Stress symptoms


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Food habits in Down’s syndrome subjects seem to have poorly interested the researchers, out of weight gaining cause. As for myself I have always judged it very important because these habits could inform us on brain neurotransmitters via their food precursors. I already printed a study on food precursors of glutamate and GABA in 460 Down individuals (Cocchi, 1990).

Having nearly always collected many data on food habits since 1979, when I began drug therapies in Downs, I think that these habits account mainly for biological needs.

On the other hand, they can vary by aging as usual in normal people, and Down children may get acquainted with foods along their social growing up. We must allow for it if we want to have more precise information.

I got to a new study on this topic by thinking of these problems.

 

Materials and method

From the records of a cohort of 518 Down subjects I saw about those of the people aging at least 10 years at first consultation.

I looked into this sample of records by collecting sex, age, chromosomal anomalies and feeding habits.

A year of life encompasses 6 months before birthday and 6 months after it (eg: The 10th year ranges from 9 years and 7 months to 10 years and six months).

About feeding habits, I checked out liking or not for sweets, meat broth or cube broth, milk and derivatives, bread and pasta, meat, fish, cooked vegetables (except potatoes), raw vegetables, fruit.

Any type of food had its rating scale, as it follows.

Sweets: 0 = no information; 1 = refuses any type of sweet thing; 2 = the subject eats some ice-cream or some chocolate; 3 = eats ice-creams and chocolate; 4 = eats sweets in a normal way; 5 = likes sweets; 6 = is very fond of sweets:

Meat broth or cube broth: 0 = no information; 1 = refuses any food cooked in broth; 2 = tastes only pasta cooked in it; 3 = eats it in a normal way; 4 = likes broth; 5 = asks for having broth.

Milk and dairy products: 0 = no information; 1 = refuses milk and derivatives: 2 = drinks some milk only at breakfast; 3 = drinks milk and eats derivatives in a normal way; 4 = likes milk also in the evening; 5 = seeks milk (usually directly from the fridge) and drinks about a litre every day.

Bread and pasta: 0 = no information; 1 = eats bread and pasta in a normal way; 2 = likes bread and pasta; 3 = eats much bread and asks for pasta twice a day.

Meat: 0 = no information; 1 = refuses any type of meat; 2 = eats some meat, usually ham; 3 = eats meat in a normal way; 4 = likes to eat meat.

Fish: 0 = no information; 1 = refuses any fish; 2 = tastes some fish; 3 = eats fish in a normal way; 4 = likes to eat fish.

Cooked vegetables (except potatoes): 0 = no information; 1 = refuses any vegetable; 2 = eats some vegetables, mainly as vegetable soup; 3 = eats cooked vegetables in a normal way; 4 = likes to eat cooked vegetables.

Raw vegetables: 0 = no information; 1 = refuses any raw vegetable; 2 = eats some salad leaves, only because forced by the parents; 3 = eats some vegetable, usually tomatoes; 4 = eats raw vegetables in a normal way; 5 = likes to eat raw vegetables.

Fruit: 0 = no information; 1 = refuses any fruit, also fruit juices; 2 = eats some fruit, usually fruit juices or bananas; 3 = eats fruit in quite normal way.

I counted in two ways: first I referred them to the total of the sample. Then, I split the sample up into four sub-samples according to years’ ranges such as 10-12, 13-15, 16-18, 19 or more years. I made comparisons of preferences for each type kind of food between sub-samples’ percentages.

I tested the data by Chi Square, when suitable.

 

Results

The results I have obtained are shown as it follows.

A hundred and one out of 518 records (19.50%) fitted the study criteria and made the sample up. Table 1 shows epidemiological data of the sample and sub-samples 1-4.

Table 1: epidemiological data of the sample and sub-samples.

 

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

Nr. of Ss.

101

 

55

 

25

 

11

 

10

 

* " F

36

 

25

 

5

 

4

 

2

 

" * M

75

 

30

 

20

 

7

 

8

 

F/M x 100

208

 

120

 

250

 

175

 

400

 

Average age

13.68

 

10.82

 

14.08

 

16.36

 

22.50 *

 

SD

5.15

 

0.82

 

0.86

 

0.67

 

 

 

Chromos. Anomalies

 

Pure tris. 21

84

83.2

47

85.5

20

80.0

10

90.9

7

70.0

Translocat.

3

3.0

2

3.6

1

4.0

 

 

 

 

Mosaicisms

7

6.9

4

7.3

2

8.0

 

 

1

10.0

Unknown

7

6.9

2

3.6

2

4.0

1

9.1

2

20.0

* median

Tables 2-10 show preferences for a single sort of food.

Table 2 : liking for sweets (sample and sub-samples)

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

0

10

9.9

6

10.9

4

16.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

13

12.9

10

18.2

2

8.0

1

9.1

0

0.0

2

27

26.7

21

38.2

3

12.0

1

9.1

2

20.0

3

22

21.8

9

16.4

5

20.0

3

27.28

5

50.0

4

19

18.9

7

12.7

8

32.0

2

18.2

2

20.0

5

10

9.9

2

3.6

3

12.0

4

36.4

1

10.0

6

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

Totals

101

100.

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 2: 10.930 5 df p < .057 N.S

.sub-s. 2 vs. sub-s. 3: 4.868 5 df p < .493 N.S.

sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3: 15.582 5 df p < .009

sub-s. 1 vs. sub.s. 3+4: 15.283 5 df p < .002

As for the comparison between sub-samples 1 and 3 shown in Table 2, the taste for sweet things in Down children changed. Most Downs of 16 years or more accept sweets.

 

Table 3 : liking for meat broth or cube broth.

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

0

5

4.9

1

1.8

2

8

1

9.1

1

10.0

1

16

15.8

11

20.0

4

16.0

0

0.0

1

10.0

2

14

13.9

11

20.0

3

12.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

3

53

52.5

26

47.3

14

56.0

9

81.8

4

40.0

4

12

11.9

6

10.9

2

8.0

0

0.0

4

40.0

5

1

1.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

9.1

0

0.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi square: sub-s. 3 vs. sub-s. 4: 15.788 4 df p < .004

sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 12.739 5 df p < .003

As for Table 3, the comparison between sub-samples 1 and 3+4 shows that 85% Downs of 16 years or more like meat or cube broth while only 58% of them do it at 10-12 years.

Table 4 : liking for milk and dairy products.

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

1

2

2.0

1

1.8

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

10.0

2

17

16.8

10

18.2

3

12.0

1

9.1

3

30.0

3

9

8.9

4

7.3

4

16.0

0

0.0

1

10.0

4

61

60.4

34

61.8

15

60.0

7

63.6

5

50.0

5

11

10.9

5

9.1

3

12.0

3

27.3

0

0.0

6

1

2.0

1

1.8

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 1.479 5 df p = 1.00 N.S.

Table 4 points to a stable taste for milk and dairy products since their 10-12 years.

 

Table 5 : liking for bread and pasta.

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

1

20

19.8

8

14.5

5

20.0

3

27.3

3

30.0

2

50

49.5

34

61.8

13

52.0

6

54.5

6

60.0

3

21

20.8

13

23.6

7

28.0

2

18.2

1

10.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 2.309 2 df p < .316 N.S.

In Table 5 we observe that most Down’s subjects like bread and pasta since their 10-12 years.

 

Table 6 : liking for meat.

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

0

6

5.9

4

7.3

1

4.0

0

0,0

1

10.0

1

3

3.0

2

3.7

0

0.0

1

9.1

0

0.0

2

5

5.0

4

7.3

1

4.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

3

82

81.2

42

76.4

21

84.0

10

10.0

9

9.0

4

5

5.0

3

5.4

2

8.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi Square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 3.244 4 df p < .518 N.S.

In most Down, the taste for meat keeps up from 10-12 years, as shown in Table 6.

 

Table 7 : liking for fish.

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

0

34

33.7

23

41.8

6

24.0

3

27.3

2

20.0

1

6

6.0

5

9.1

1

4.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

2

1

1.0

0

0.0

1

4.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

3

57

56.4

25

45.4

16

64.0

8

72.7

8

80.0

4

3

3.0

2

3.6

1

4.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 2: 5.459 4 df p < .243 N.S.

sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 46.570 3 df p < .0009

The comparison of sub-samples 1 and 3+4 of Table 7 drive at a liking for fish in most Down since their 16-18 years.

 

 Table 8 : liking for cooked vegetables (except potatoes).

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

1

16

15.8

9

16.4

6

24.0

1

9.1

0

0.0

2

11

10.9

7

12.7

1

4.0

0

0.0

3

30.0

3

73

72.3

39

70.9

18

72.0

10

90.9

6

60.0

4

1

1.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

1

10.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi Square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 4.260 3 df p < .315 N.S.

According to Table 8, cooked vegetables are eaten by most Down children, since they are 10-12 years old.

 

Table 9 : liking for raw vegetables.

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

0

3

2.8

1

1.8

0

0.0

1

9.1

1

10.0

1

45

45.6

26

47.3

13

52.0

4

36.4

2

20.0

2

2

2.0

1

1.8

1

4.0

0

0.0

0

0.0

3

9

8.9

7

12.7

1

4.0

0

0.0

1

10.0

4

40

39.6

19

34.5

10

40.0

5

45.5

6

60.0

5

2

2.0

1

1.8

0

0.0

1

9.1

0

0.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi Square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 6.571 5 df p < .273 N.S.

Table 9 suggests a non significant progression in eating raw vegetables from 10-12 years to adult life.

 

 Table 10 : liking for fruit.

Grade

Sample

%

Sub-s.1

%

Sub-s.2

%

Sub-s.3

%

Sub-s.4

%

0

6

5.9

3

5.4

1

4.0

1

9.1

1

10.0

1

31

30.7

21

38.2

8

24.0

1

9.1

1

10.0

2

20

19.8

12

21.8

4

12.0

2

18.2

2

20.0

3

44

43.6

19

34.5

12

48.0

7

63.6

6

60.0

Totals

101

100

55

100

25

100

11

100

10

100

Chi square: sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 2: 1.384 3 df p < .982 N.S.

sub-s. 2 vs. sub-s. 3: 2.336 3 df p < .690 N.S.

sub-s. 1 vs. sub-s. 3+4: 7.264 3 df p < .083 N.S.

 

Liking for fruit has a strong trend to increase from 10-12 years of life in Downs, as it comes in the Table 10.

Discussion

Although a sample of 101 Down subjects out of 518 had to be representative, the F/M ratio differs very much from the expected about 100/135. On the other hand, the distribution of the chromosomal anomalies does not totally match the Italian and International distributions. In our sample mosaic forms are over-represented.

The 4 sub-samples add to these difficulties.As for gender or chromosomal anomaly differences in foods’ taste I did not find any of them both for sweets and meat broth or cube broth, in research on 460 Down subjects (Cocchi, 1990).

No information has been found on either gender or chromosomal differences in taste for the remaining foods I have checked up, but I need to be cautious. We can think this sample and these sub-samples only as good points of departure to study food habits in Downs. Food habits regarding rice and eggs would have also been valuable, but I never asked for these.

The analysis of food habits I have done suggests that Downs, The since their 10-12 years do not vary their taste for milk and derivatives, bread and pasta, meat and cooked vegetables. Most Downs prefer these foods and, in this respect, I think that Downs do not differ from same age normals. The finding of the contrary drives at problems of controlling precursors that these foods supply to the body. As for example, when there is a refusal of milk and derivatives, we first ought to think about triptophan, the precursor of serotonin.

From 10-12 years Downs increase their taste for fish and about 70% of them like it since their 13-15 years. There is not any refusal in our sample after 15 years. For this food too, the data suggest a normal development of this preference.

The taste for raw vegetables seems well established in about 47% of 10-12 years old Down and it progress until adult age. In spite of this about 24% of 16 or more years Down refuse raw vegetables or eat them in very small amount. Surely the intake of folates and perhaps other vitamins, does not match the body’s needs. As referred by Lejeune et al., 1986, Downs requires more folates than normal individuals.

In my experience, other same age "normal" subjects refuse to eat raw vegetables, but I think they are less, and I have always seen them during consultation for mild psychiatric problems.

As for these subjects, three points arise: i. Have they a hyponeophagic habit, symptom of a long lasting state of masked stress? ii. Could some reduced supply partly be the cause of present psychiatric troubles? iii. If points (i) and (ii) were both true, could they have a negative synergic action? Moreover, I do not know if there is or there is not a lucky fate for truly normal subjects refusing to eat raw vegetables, because they do not ask for my psychiatric help.

We can use the same ways of reasoning, with suitable adaptation, for about 10% of Down aged 16 or more who refuse to eat fruit.

In a quite different way I can treat the preference for eating sweets because I sat on it both in Down subjects (Cocchi, 1990) and in depressed children (Cocchi, 1980). While in this study 12 subjects aged 16 or more out of 21 (57.14%) refused or had scarce preference for sweet things, 204 out of 460 Downs (78.46%) did the same in my previous research without age limits (Cocchi, 1990).

It seems that a biological limiting avoids the brain of Down individuals to have too much glucose, by acting on its intake. Glucose is a precursor of l-glutamic acid via the Krebs’ cycle, and l-glutamica acid, in its turn, is the precursor of GABA.

The transformation of l-glutamic acid into GABA has been found reduced in a state of stress, and so an increasing amount of glutamate could be neurotoxic.

Should the reduced intake of sweets in many Down subjects a compensation mechanism, a kind of self-medication that aims to lower the risk that glutamate becomes neurotoxic?

If this is true, drug therapies able to lower stress reactions ought to modify the taste for sweets. In my experience it seems to happen so, but I have to bear it out by a special study.

The tasting for broth, when prepared by meat or by cube, looks rather different. This broth holds glutamine, glutamate or monosodium glutamate. Only glutamine, as second precursor of brain glutamate (Ward, Thanki & Bradford, 1983) can cross the blood-brain barrier, but blood glutamate can be transformed into glutamine (Meister 1956; Meister 1969).

Although a larger supply of glutamine can promote glutamate neurotoxicity, here the limiting of its intake works less. About 65% of these Downs have a liking for meat broth or cube broth and most of them since their 10-12 years.

In my previous research without age limits 284 out of 460 Downs (61.74%, nearly same percentage) did not refuse it.

This fact could drive at some speculations on the different biological value of glucose and glutamine as precursors of brain glutamate and GABA.

 

Conclusion.

The study of food habits in Down subjects of 10 years or more pointed up some interesting results. Ten-twelve years, as lower age limit, seem a good choice to avoid the effects of social learning in food taste.

Although we must view this sample of Downs as not representative, the rates of refusal for sweets, raw vegetables and fruit appear higher than one would expect.

I think this fact relevant, and I maintain it related to neurotransmitters’ balance, since many foods bring in the main precursors of them (Fernstrom, 1977; Growdon & Wurtman, 1979) and vitamins acting as catalyst of their syntheses.

The topic should deserve further research concerning either normal individuals, or 7-9 years old Downs subjects, or 10 years or more Down subjects who underwent at least 3 years drug therapy.

I hope I shall do something about a group of younger Downs and a group of Downs under drug therapy.

 

References

Cocchi R.: Greediness for sweet things in children as a symptom of antidepressive homeostatic compensation: 41 cases. Acta Paedopsychiat. 1980, 45: 293-300.

Cocchi R.: Precursori dell’ac. glutammico e del GABA e abitudini alimentari nei Down: Indagine epidemiologica su 460 soggetti. Riv. Ital. Disturbo Intellet. 1990, 3: 307-312.

Cocchi R.: Drug therapy in Down’s syndrome: A theoretical context. It. J. Intellect. Impair. 1993, 6: 143-154.

Lejeune J., Rethore’ M.O., DeBlois M.C., Mannoury-Burolla C. et al.: Metabolisme des monocarbones et trisomie 21: sensibilite’ au MTX. Ann. Genet. 1986, 29: 16-19.

Fernstrom J.D.: Effects of the diet on brain neurotransmitters. Metabolism 1977, 26: 207-213.

Growdon J.H., Wurtman R.G.: Dietary influences on the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain. Nutr. Rev. 1979, 37: 129-136.

Meister A.: Metabolism of Glutamine. Physiol. Rev. 1956, 36: 103-127.

Meister A.: On the synthesis and utilisation of glutamine. Harvey Lect. 1969, 63: 139-168.

Ward H.K., Thanki C.M., Bradford H.F.: Glutamine and glucose as precursors of transmitters aminoacids: Ex vivo studies. J. Neurochem. 1983, 40: 855-860.

 

Printed on It. J. Intellect. Impair. 1994, 7: 149-157

 

Author’s address: dr. Renato COCCHI, via Rabbeno, 3

42100 Reggio Emilia (Italy)

renatococchi@libero.it

Italian translation

Down's syndrome

* Mental retardation

* Stress symptoms

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