Better Ways to Measure Health and Activity for Adults with Down Syndrome Using Mobile Devices
Official title: Improving Body Composition Assessment and Physical Activity Monitoring in Adults with Down Syndrome using Mobile Technology
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11146474 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find easier and more comfortable ways to measure body health and physical activity for adults with Down syndrome using mobile and wearable devices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $193,105 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD115191-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11146474 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this type of research would be adults aged 21 and older who have Down syndrome.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have Down syndrome or are not adults would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Adults with Down syndrome are more likely to experience obesity, which can lead to serious health issues like heart disease and type II diabetes. Traditional methods for checking body health, like special scans, can be uncomfortable or even frightening for some individuals with Down syndrome, making it hard to get accurate information. This project explores using wearable technology, like smartwatches or other mobile devices, to measure body composition and physical activity in a more relaxed and familiar setting. Our goal is to make these health checks less stressful and more accessible, so we can better support the health of adults with Down syndrome.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more comfortable and accurate ways for adults with Down syndrome to monitor their health, potentially helping to prevent or manage conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
How similar studies have gone: While wearable technology is emerging for health tracking, this specific application to improve body composition and physical activity measurement for adults with Down syndrome is being explored as a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nickerson, Brett Stephen — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Nickerson, Brett Stephen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using mobile technology to assess body composition and physical activity in adults with Down syndrome
This study is creating a friendly mobile app to help adults with Down syndrome easily track their body health and activity levels, making it less stressful than traditional methods, so they can stay healthy and catch any weight-related issues early on.
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Exploring how Down syndrome affects optic nerve health in kids
A study using a mouse model to understand why optic nerve problems are common in children with Down syndrome and how to prevent them.
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Executive Function Enhancement for Young Children with Down Syndrome
A caregiver-guided program for kids with Down syndrome aged up to 11 to strengthen their thinking skills during early childhood.
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Preterm infant body composition and early-life health after NICU stay
This grant studies how body composition in very preterm babies relates to later brain development and risk of obesity or diabetes, with findings meant to improve care from NICU through early childhood.
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Silencing an Extra Chromosome to Help Down Syndrome and Related Conditions
A patient-friendly plan to use a gene-based approach to quiet an extra chromosome in cells and a mouse model to reduce disease-related effects in Down syndrome and other chromosomal imbalance disorders.
-
Infant Down Syndrome Brain and Behavior Study
A study of infants with Down syndrome to collect brain imaging and developmental data, creating a large, shared resource to understand how autism and other factors relate to development.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.