Let’s talk about keeping healthy

A resource to help people with Down’s syndrome maintain a healthy weight

We’ve all got the potential to gain weight if the balance between what we eat and how much we exercise isn’t right. People with Down’s Syndrome can often put weight on particularly easily. This can be due to additional factors like having a slower metabolism.

Down’s Syndrome Scotland has produced an accessible, informative workbook to help people with Down’s Syndrome identify their healthy weight and plan their diet and exercise to support this.

Let’s talk about keeping healthy explains how to work out whether your weight is healthy, along with the link between metabolism and calories. It includes questionnaires and a food diary to help readers understand their diet better.

Foods are divided into two easy to understand categories: those you can eat every day, and those you shouldn’t eat every day, with a quiz to illustrate the difference. Then there are tips on good eating habits, plus an explanation of the link between diet and exercise.

The workbook invites readers to set themselves challenges for their diet and exercise if they need to lose weight. There is a page to record their successes and track their weight over time, along with a handy list of 10 easy ways to burn 100 calories.

Understanding how to maintain a healthy weight is essential for staying fit and being able to enjoy a full, active life. Let’s talk about keeping healthy is one of a wide range of resources published by Down’s Syndrome Scotland to get people talking about their health and wellbeing, then take practical steps to improve it. You can download the guide here.

If you live in Scotland and have Down’s Syndrome or care for someone who has, you can contact our team for advice or support. The resources on our website are freely available to anyone, wherever they live.