All too often, adults with
Down syndrome are not involved in the decision-making process when it comes to
dietary choices. Whether they live at home with family, in a group setting, or
in supported or independent living arrangements, adults with Down syndrome should
actively participate in discussions about weight. As a rule of thumb, the following
nutrition guidelines work well for adults with Down syndrome:
Plan and eat three meals
a day.
Eat meals at least every
five hours; if meals must be more than five hours apart, plan healthy snacks.
Include three out of
the five food groups in each meal.
Include two out of the
five food groups in each planned snack.
Don’t worry about
including the "sometimes/others" food group ("junk foods").
They’ll end up in the diet somewhere.
Take half of the portion
you feel like eating. When that’s gone, set the timer for 15 minutes.
If still hungry after the timer goes off, seconds are okay. (Medlen, 1999)
INSTANT FEEDBACK:
Medlen
stresses the importance of including all five food groups in each meal for adults
with Down syndrome.