Obesity continues to be one of the major public health problems because it is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases in the general population (WHO report) and contributes to the death of more than 2.8 million people every year. Subjects with obesity often show deficits in memory, learning and executive functions compared to normal-weight subjects.
Individuals with Down syndrome, like those with other types of intellectual disability, have a higher risk of developing obesity. Specifically, 77% of subjects with DS suffer from overweight and 48.5% have obesity. This is possible because cognition plays a role in eating behaviour, obesity, and the response to a lifestyle change. However, weight loss in people with obesity/overweight is associated with potential improvements in performance across various cognitive domains. As the lifespan of people with Down syndrome increases, obesity and diabetes are likely to increase in this population, with major effects on individuals as well as direct consequences on their family.
In GO-DS21, a unique interdisciplinary consortium of DS experts consisting of clinicians, pathophysiologists, integrative bioinformaticians and artificial intelligence computer scientists are working together to improve the lives of people with DS (and others affected by obesity and intellectual disabilities). We investigate the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms associated to trisomy 21, that predispose people with Down syndrome to gain weight. Our final goal is to find biomarkers and possibly therapeutic targets that help people with Down syndrome to prevent obesity development. To this aim, we are building Clinical Guidance in collaboration with Down syndrome associations.For more information, please see https://go-ds21.eu/news-events/downloads/
In this event, we will present the latest findings of GO-DS21, discuss the current landscape of DS diagnosis and care, and we will listen to the voices of parents' associations and the individuals concerned.
The official language of the meeting shall be French, but we aim to provide translation in English for the main discussion. We are trying to make this meeting accessible online and to English speakers, with live translation provided by one of our partners. We will keep you informed of progress on this possibility.
Registration
Registrations are open until 3 Sept 2023 inclusive.
If you are unable to attend in person, we will organize a videoconference meeting so that you can attend and ask questions via a moderator. A link to the videoconference will be sent to all registered participants two days before the meeting.
Organisation committee
Dr. Yann Hérault, Go-DS21 coordinator (IGBMC, France)
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