Four-year Epidemiological Surveillance of the Spanish Registry of Research in Contact Dermatitis and Cutaneous Allergy: Current Situation and Trends. / Vigilancia epidemiológica en los últimos 4 años del Registro Español de Investigación en Dermatitis de Contacto y Alergia Cutánea: situación actual y tendencias.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiological surveillance of contact dermatitis is one of the objectives of the Spanish Registry of Research in Contact Dermatitis and Cutaneous Allergy. Knowing whether the prevalence of positive tests to the different allergens changes over time is important for this monitoring process. OBJECTIVES: To describe the various temporary trends in allergen positivity in the GEIDAC standard series from 2018 through December 31, 2022. METHODS: This was a multicenter, observational trial of consecutive patients analyzed via patch tests as part of the study of possible allergic contact dermatitises collected prospectively within the Spanish Registry of Research in Contact Dermatitis and Cutaneous Allergy. The data was analyzed using 2 statistical tests: one homogeneity test (to describe the changes seen over time) and one trend test (to see whether the changes described followed a linear trend). RESULTS: A total of 11327 patients were included in the study. Overall, the allergens associated with a highest sensitization were nickel sulfate, methylisothiazolinone, cobalt chloride, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone, and fragrance mix i. A statistically significant decrease was found in the percentage of methylisothiazolinone positive tests across the study years with an orderly trend. CONCLUSIONS: Although various changes were seen in the sensitizations trends to several allergens of the standard testing, it became obvious that a high sensitization to nickel, methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone and fragrances mix i remained. Only a significant downward trend was seen for methylisothiazolinone.

Epidemiological, Clinical, and Allergic Profile of Psoriatic Patients. Evaluation of the Spanish Registry of Contact Dermatitis and Cutaneous Allergy (REIDAC). / Perfil epidemiológico, clínico y alérgico en pacientes con psoriasis. Evaluación del Registro Español de Dermatitis de Contacto (REIDAC).

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis whose clinical and topographic distribution requires differential diagnosis, or the possible association with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), requiring patch testing (PT) as part of the diagnostic procedure. OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiological, clinical, and allergic profile of patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of psoriasis undergoing PT and compare them with patients with a diagnosis of ACD at the end of the diagnostic process. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with data from REIDAC from 2018 through 2023 of selected patients with a diagnosis of psoriasis and/or ACD. RESULTS: A total of 11 502 patients were included, 513 of whom had been diagnosed with primary or secondary psoriasis, 3640 with ACD, and 108 with both diseases. Men were more predominant in the groups of patients with psoriasis, psoriasis+ACD, and lesions were more predominantly seen in the hands with little association with atopic factors vs the ACD group. The rate of positivity in PT to the 2022 Spanish battery of allergens was lower in the group with psoriasis only in 27% of the patients. The most common allergens found in the psoriasis group were also the most common ones found in the overall ACD population. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, 36.2% of psoriatic patients tested positive in PT to the 2022 Spanish battery of allergens, which proved that this association is not uncommon. Overall, psoriatic patients had a higher mean age, were more predominantly men, and showed more hand involvement.

Standard and Expanded Series Patch Testing Update by the Spanish Contact Dermatitis and Skin Allergy Research Group (GEIDAC). / Actualización de la batería estándar y batería ampliada de pruebas alérgicas de contacto por el Grupo Español de Investigación en Dermatitis de Contacto y Alergia Cutánea (GEIDAC).

After the meeting held by the Spanish Contact Dermatitis and Skin Allergy Research Group (GEIDAC) back in October 2021, changes were suggested to the Spanish standard series patch testing. Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2% pet.), textile dye mixt (6.6% pet.), linalool hydroperoxide (1% pet.), and limonene hydroperoxide (0.3% pet.) were, then, added to the series that agreed upon in 2016. Ethyldiamine and phenoxyethanol were excluded. Methyldibromoglutaronitrile, the mixture of sesquiterpene lactones, and hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene (Lyral) were alo added to the extended Spanish series of 2022.

[Which non pharmacological interventions should be offered to patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer? A systematic review]. / Quelles interventions non médicamenteuses proposer aux patients traités par hormono-suppression pour un cancer de la prostate ? Revue systématique de la littérature.

AIM: Prostate cancer is a frequent disease and one of the main treatments used is androgen deprivation therapy, which is a therapy with disabling side effects. Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) are evidenced based, non-invasive interventions on human health. They are classified into five categories (physical, psychological, nutritional, digital, elemental). The NPIs sphere is booming and still remains underused in this context. METHODS: A systematic review concerning randomized controlled trials was executed according to the PRISMA guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). We used the "Medline" and "Kalya Research" databases. After searching and selecting eligible publications, we included 37 randomized controlled trials. RESULTS: The majority of articles concerned physical NPIs with 30 clinical studies, 3 publications dealt with nutritional NPIs, 2 with psychological NPIs and 2 articles concerned elemental NPIs. No publication about digital NPI was found. All of the studies aimed to manage and improve the side effects of treatment. No elemental NPI has demonstrated benefit. Only one psychological NPI and one nutritional NPI were effective. Five types of physical NPI protocols have shown efficacy. The main benefits related to physical abilities, body composition, osteoporosis, quality of life, fatigue, reduced cardiovascular risk and finally anxiety and depression. CONCLUSION: Non-pharmacological interventions, especially physical ones, are effective in managing and reducing the side effects associated with androgen deprivation therapy and should be offered to patients in this context.

Oral Lesions in Patients With Psoriasis: Prevalence and Association With Its Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics. / Manifestaciones orales en pacientes con psoriasis. Prevalencia y asociación con sus características clínicas y epidemiológicas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Psoriasis is a multisystem disease associated with an increased prevalence of oral lesions. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral lesions in patients with psoriasis and examine associations with clinical and patient characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with psoriasis and healthy controls seen between December 2019 and February 2020. We recorded biometric data, comorbidities associated with psoriasis, oral examination findings, and clinical characteristics of psoriasis. RESULTS: We studied 100 patients with psoriasis and 100 controls. Oral lesions were more common in the psoriasis group (74% vs 46%, P<.001). The most common lesions were fissured tongue (39% vs 16%, P<.001) and periodontitis (28% vs 16%, P=.04). Geographic tongue was uncommon in both the study and the control group (4% vs 2%, P=.68). In the psoriasis group, patients with fissured tongue had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (23.1% vs 4.9%), diabetes mellitus (28.2% vs 8.2%), and psoriatic arthritis (15.4% vs 1.6%) than those without this condition. Periodontitis was also associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (28.6% vs 5.6%). Type of psoriasis, location, and time since onset were not significantly associated with oral lesions. Patients with oral lesions, however, had more severe disease (Psoriasis Area Severity Index [PASI], 3.9 vs 2.4; P=.05). Mean PASI was also higher in patients with fissured tongue (4.7 vs. 2.7, P=.03) and periodontitis (5.1 vs. 2.9, P=.04). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of oral lesions, especially fissured tongue and periodontitis, is higher in patients with psoriasis than in healthy controls. Oral lesions were associated with more severe psoriasis and a higher prevalence of associated comorbidities. We recommend examining the oral cavity of patients with psoriasis, especially those with more severe disease and comorbidities, irrespective of type of psoriasis, location, or time since onset.

Benefits of a 3-week outpatient balneotherapy programme on patient-reported outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of the health profile of participants aged over 65 has been initiated in balneotherapy. AIMS: To determine the benefits of a 3-week outpatient balneotherapy program on patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: Our sample consisted of 1471 people. The average age of the study population was 72.5 years (± 5.1) and 67% of the participants were females. Symptoms intensity was measured by visual analogue scale, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) with the EQ5D questionnaire before and after the program. Changes of perceived functional status were rated using a 3-point Likert scale. RESULTS: The results indicated a significant increase in the fear of falling and a decrease in fatigue. EQ5D reveals a significant improvement after the program. The perceived change scores remained stable, except for anxiety/depression. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated significant improvements of HRQL and a decrease of perception of fatigue and anxiety in elderly people participants in a 3-week balneological programme.

Analysis of the health profiles and prevalence of falls for patients over 65 years of age in a thermal environment.

BACKGROUND: A falls prevention programme has been initiated in balneotherapy at Balaruc-les-Bains. AIMS: To determine the health profiles of subjects who are at risk of falls, over 65 years of age and attending balneotherapy. METHODS: Questionnaires were used to evaluate people on their fear of falling. Fatigue was assessed by visual analog scale as well as by functional status over the past 12 months. EQ-5D-3L, the IPAQ questionnaire and Fried's frailty scale were all used. Patients' functional capabilities were tested using the Unipedal stance test, the TUG test, the SPPB, the Tandem walking test and the isometric manual grip strength test. RESULTS: Out of the 1471 patients (72.45 years ± 5.10), the women (67%) were tested. In the last 12 months, 485 of these 1471 patients fell (33%) and 37% of them suffered a severe injury. 45-50% of these subjects are now in good health. Women had a significantly higher impaired perception of their health than men (0.02 < p < 0.0001). According to Fried's criteria, 10.2% of the population is considered frail, with a significantly greater number of women (p < 0.0001). Static equilibrium was subnormal (less than 12 s during the TUG). The number of steps in tandem position discriminates individuals and gender as does the speed of moving from A to B and muscular strength. CONCLUSIONS: More than one-third of the subjects (more women than men) aged 65 or older visiting the Balaruc-les-Bains health resort are pre-frail or frail. They all have a recent history of falls, suffer from impaired muscle strength, and have balance and gait disorders.

Influence of a brisk walking program on postural responses in sedentary older women: a randomised trial.

This study analyzes the evolution in kinematic and non-linear stabilometric parameters in elderly sedentary women selected to participate in a brisk walking program. Ninety-four women were randomly selected for a program of 78 sessions over 6 months, with three sessions of 60 min per week. On the force platform, participants were assessed with both eyes opened as well as eyes closed during a period of 51.2 s and the sampling frequency was 40 Hz. The main dependent kinematic variables were the length, stabilogram surface, and the mean position in anteroposterior as well as medio-lateral directions. For the dynamic approach, we have selected the parameters of recurrence quantification analysis, sample entropy, and multiscale entropy. The kinematic and the time series analysis of group × time interactions demonstrated that 6 months of walk-training lacked influence on kinematic postural responses and on dynamical measurements. The weekly brisk walking program was situated on flat ground and consisted of three 60-min weekly sessions lasting 6 months, leading to no significant effect on postural responses. In regards to international recommendations brisk walking is a pertinent exercise. However, in older sedentary women, our study indicated a systemic lack of influence of 6 months' walk-training on flat ground on kinematic postural responses and on dynamical measures obtained by time series analysis.

Influence of a brisk walking program on isokinetic muscular capacities of knee in sedentary older women.

This study analyzed the evolution in peak torque (PT) and mean power (MP) isokinetic parameters in the quadriceps and hamstring muscles of elderly sedentary women who were randomly selected to participate in a brisk walking program for 6 months. The 121 sedentary women of this study presented a mean score of 5.3 (±1.7) on the Physical Activity Questionnaire for the Elderly and covered 86 % of the theoretical distance on the 6-min walk test. The isokinetic evaluation was performed on both sides at 60°/s and 180°/s. PT and MP were selected for analysis. Women in the trained group (n = 61) participated in a program of 78 sessions over 6 months with three sets of 60 min of exercise per week. For this group, heart rate, time and distance were, respectively, 125.2 bt/min (±10), 37.9 min (±4.2) and 3756.3 m (±445.4). The analysis of the group × time interaction demonstrated an increase in the PT of the dominant-side hamstrings (p < 0.001). In the trained group, we observed a significant increase in PT at 60°/s for the hamstrings on both sides (0.01 < p < 0.02) and a significant increase in MP for the hamstrings at 60°/s on the nondominant side (p < 0.05). The study indicates a minor, though significant, influence of a brisk walking program on the peak torque and mean power of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles in sedentary women over 60 years.

Effects of a six-month walking intervention on depression in inactive post-menopausal women: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Physical inactivity and advanced age are associated with risk of depressive disorders. Physical activity can reduce depressive symptoms in older subjects with depressive disorders. We investigated whether a walking intervention program may decrease the occurrence of depressive symptoms in inactive post-menopausal women without depression. METHOD: A total of 121 participants aged 57-75 years were randomly assigned to a six-month moderate intensity walking intervention (three times a week, 40 minutes per session, supervised and home-based) or to a control group (waiting list). Inactivity was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for the Elderly. Depression levels were measured pre- and post-intervention with the Beck depression inventory (BDI). Several baseline measures were considered as possible predictors of post-intervention BDI score. RESULTS: Participants in the walking intervention showed a significant decrease in depression as compared with controls. Baseline cognitive-BDI subscore, subjective health status, body mass index and adherence were post-intervention BDI score predictors. CONCLUSION: A six-month, three-session per week, moderate intensity walking intervention with a minimal 50% adherence rate reduces depression in post-menopausal women at risk for depression due to physical inactivity. This type of walking intervention could be considered as a widely accessible prevention strategy to prevent depressive symptoms in post-menopausal women at risk of depression.

Psychological effect of exercise in women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant therapy: what is the optimal dose needed?

BACKGROUND: Several meta-analyses have examined the role of exercise interventions in improving psychological outcomes in cancer survivors but most did not focus on adjuvant therapy period and did not investigate the optimal dose of exercise needed. The present meta-analysis examines the impact of exercise interventions delivered at this particular period on fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL) as well as dose-response relationships between volume of prescribed exercise and these psychological outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Randomized, controlled trials that proposed an exercise intervention to patients with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were systematically identified and coded. Psychological outcomes effect sizes were calculated and analyzed for trends using linear and quadratic regressions. RESULTS: Pooled effects of the 17 included studies revealed improvement for all outcomes, significant for fatigue, depression, and QoL with pooled estimates ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 favoring intervention. Significant inverse associations of the volume of prescribed exercise with fatigue and QoL were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise intervention improved fatigue, depression, and QoL in patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant therapy. Prescription of relatively low doses of exercise (<12 MET h/week) consisting in ∼90-120 min of weekly moderate physical exercise seems more efficacious in improving fatigue and QoL than higher doses.

Students perceived stress in academic programs: consequences for its management.

BACKGROUND: Academic stress contributes to the deterioration of the students' quality of life. Psychological determinants involved in the stress process, trait anxiety and coping, have been neglected when assessing the role of academic programs in stress. This study aimed at determining whether academic programs are associated with a high level of perceived stress above and beyond potential personal and environmental risk factors, as well as coping strategies. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2009 among third-year medical (total n=170, participants 88%), dental (n=63, 94%), psychology (n=331, 61%) and sports sciences (n=312, 55%) students in Montpellier (France). The stress level experienced during the last 2months, trait anxiety and coping strategies were appraised. Substance use, psychological care, and stress triggers were also collected using a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Compared with medicine and after adjusting for gender and age, only the sports program was associated with a lower perceived stress risk: adjusted odds ratio: 0.54 [95% Confidence interval: 0.30; 0.99]. Substantial reductions in perceived stress risks were observed in science students after additional adjustments for non-academic stress triggers, substance use, psychological care (adjusted odds ratio: 0.20 [95% Confidence interval: 0.09; 0.41]), and also for trait anxiety and coping strategies (adjusted odds ratio: 0.23 [95% Confidence interval: 0.10; 0.54]). Compared with medicine and after these additional adjustments, psychology had a significantly lower perceived stress risk (0.34 [0.18; 0.64]; 0.40 [0.19; 0.86], respectively), dentistry had a similar risk (0.82 [0.35; 1.91]; 0.53 [0.20; 1.43], respectively). CONCLUSION: Sports and psychology programs had a lower perceived stress risk compared with medicine. Personal and environmental risk factors and coping strategies modified the association between academic program and perceived stress. Developing efficient coping strategies in students and improving academic environment could contribute to prevent the potential deleterious consequences of stress.

[Benefits of exercise for people with schizophrenia: a systematic review]. / Bénéfices des activités physiques adaptées dans la prise en charge de la schizophrénie : revue systématique de la littérature.

INTRODUCTION: Previous reviews of exercise and mental health have predominantly examined chronic illness and more recently, several psychiatric disorders. There is growing evidence that exercise can also be an effective treatment for major depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and alcohol dependence. Individuals with schizophrenia are more likely to be sedentary than the general population. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this systematic review are to analyse the habits of physical activity and examine the literature that has investigated the use of exercise as treatment for schizophrenia. METHOD: We systematically reviewed psycINFO, Medline/PubMed, SportDiscus, Web of Sciences, and Cochrane Library. The searches of databases were conducted from database inception until September 2010, using a range of search terms to reflect both physical activity and schizophrenia. Studies were subsequently considered eligible if they reported on quantitative studies investigating the effect of physical activity upon some aspect of physical or mental health in individuals with schizophrenia. RESULTS: Of the 139 articles retrieved, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. In controlled studies, most authors have underlined the benefits of aerobic exercises. These programs may act both on positive symptoms (hallucinations) and on negative symptoms. According to certain studies, the positive effect may appear in a short time and at the end of the program. No studies assess long-term benefits. Small samples of self selected participants, inadequately selected control groups are common methodological weaknesses. A recent research has directly investigated the potential mechanism underpinning the positive benefits. The results indicated that hippocampal volume is plastic in response to aerobic exercise. DISCUSSION: We discuss methodological and practical challenges to research in this area, and outline several research questions that future work should seek to address. Existing studies do suggest that lifestyles, physical activity interventions, or regular exercise programmes are possible in this population and can have beneficial effects on both the mental and physical health and well being of individuals with schizophrenia. CONCLUSION: Research into the efficacy and safety of exercise as an intervention in schizophrenia is required to support the development of detailed, population-specific guidelines. Larger randomised studies are required before any definitive conclusions can be drawn. Although studies included in this review are small and used various measures of physical and mental health, results indicated that regular exercise programmes are possible in this population, and that they can have beneficial effects on both physical and mental health. Future research should address issues of programme adherence.

Psychometric properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in French clinical and nonclinical adults.

BACKGROUND: Previous research on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) has five main limitations. First, no study provided evidence of the factorial equivalence of this instrument across samples of depressive and community participants. Second, only one study included systematic tests of measurement invariance based on confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), and this study did not consider the higher-order factor structure of depression, although it is the CES-D global scale score that is most often used in the context of epidemiological studies. Third, few studies investigated the screening properties of the CES-D in non-English-language samples and their results were inconsistent. Fourth, although the French version of the CES-D has been used in several previous studies, it has never been systematically validated among community and/or depressed adults. Finally, very few studies have taken into account the ordered-categorical nature of the CES-D answer scale. The purpose of the study reported herein was therefore to examine the construct validity (i.e., factorial, reliability, measurement invariance, latent mean invariance, convergence, and screening properties) of the CES-D in a French sample of depressed patients and community adults. METHODS: A total sample of 469 participants, comprising 163 clinically depressed patients and 306 community adults, was involved in this study. The factorial validity, and the measurement and latent mean invariance of the CES-D across gender and clinical status, were verified through CFAs based on ordered-categorical items. Correlation and receiver operator characteristic curves were also used to test the convergent validity and screening properties of the CES-D. RESULTS: The present results: (i) provided support for the factor validity and reliability of a second-order measurement model of depression based on responses to the CES-D items; (ii) revealed the full measurement invariance of the first- and second-order measurement models across gender; (iii) showed the partial strict measurement invariance (four uniquenesses had to be freely estimated, but the factor variance-covariance matrix also proved fully invariant) of the first-order factor model and the complete measurement invariance of the second-order model across patients and community adults; (iv) revealed a lack of latent mean invariance across gender and across clinical and community subsamples (with women and patients reporting higher scores on all subscales and on the full scale); (v) confirmed the convergent validity of the CES-D with measures of depression, self-esteem, anxiety, and hopelessness; and (vi) demonstrated the efficacy of the screening properties of this instrument among clinical and nonclinical adults. CONCLUSION: This instrument may be useful for assessing depressive symptoms or for the screening of depressive disorders in the context of epidemiological studies targeting French patients and community men and women with a background similar to those from the present study.

An integrated programme after pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: effect on emotional and functional dimensions of quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a maintenance integrated health care programme is effective in improving functional and emotional dimensions of quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after a first pulmonary rehabilitation. DESIGN: Prospective controlled trial. SETTING: Three rehabilitation centres and three patient self-help associations within a health care network in France. SUBJECTS: Forty patients with moderate to severe COPD. INTERVENTIONS: After a first four-week inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programme, patients took part in a maintenance integrated health care programme or usual care for 12 months. MAIN MEASURES: The primary outcomes were the change in functional and emotional dimensions of quality of life measured by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), the brief World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (Brief-WHOQOL) and six specific questions using a 10-cm visual analogue scale. Secondary outcomes were change in exercise tolerance measured by six-minute walking test and cycle exercise. RESULTS: At one year, the maintenance intervention (n = 11) produced improvements in functional and emotional dimensions scores of quality of life and exercise tolerance. Patients in the usual aftercare group (n = 16) exhibited maintenance of functional dimension scores of quality of life, but a clinically relevant decline in emotional scores of quality of life and in six-minute walking distance one year after the pulmonary rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Patient self-help association seems to be an innovative and efficient organizational structure to support patients with COPD after pulmonary rehabilitation in real-life settings. A distinction between emotional and functional dimensions of quality of life may improve the design and evaluation of integrated health care programmes in patients with COPD.

Personal and contextual determinants of elite young athletes' persistence or dropping out over time.

Two studies were conducted among elite young judokas to examine (a) whether those who persisted in national training centers (n=52) were different from dropouts (n=52) in their perceptions of coach-, parent-, and peer-induced motivational climates, goal orientations, self-perceptions, perceived competence, and intention of dropping out, and (b) whether these variables varied during the persisting athletes' (n=82) first 2 years in these centers. Compared with persisting athletes, dropouts perceived the roles of coaches, parents, and peers as less task-involving, were less task-oriented, and intended more to drop. The association of peer-, coach-, and parent-induced task-involving climates predicted athletes' persistence. During the 2 years, persisting athletes' perceptions of coach-, parent-, and peer-induced task-involving climates decreased, while perceptions of a coach-induced ego-involving climate and the intention of dropping out increased in spite of more positive self-perceptions. Gender differences favoring males were observed for self-perceptions only. These results stress the importance for all the agents of the athletes' social environment to promote task-involving climates, because such climates appear to be naturally prone to degradation in the context of elite competition. The results also shed light on some high-level athletes' characteristics regarding motivational dispositions and self-concept.

[Overweight prevalence in preadolescents, adolescents and young adults with intellectual disability schooled in specialized institutions in Southeast of France: An exploratory study]. / Prévalence du surpoids chez des préadolescents, adolescents et jeunes adultes présentant une déficience intellectuelle scolarisés dans les instituts médicoéducatifs du Sud-est de la France : une étude exploratoire.

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of obesity is growing worldwide, especially in the population of adolescents with intellectual disability. Nevertheless, no study has focused on this problem in France. The objective of this work was thus to study body weight in French preadolescents, adolescents and young adults with intellectual disability schooled in specialized institutions. METHODS: Four hundred and twenty French participants with intellectual disability, aged 11 to 21, were included in the study. An epidemiological questionnaire was built and distributed to 14 specialized institutions where the participants were schooled. The following participants' characteristics were collected: age, sex, level of disability, psychopathology, genetic disorder and medication. International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off for adolescents and World Health Organisation cut-off for adults based on body mass index were used to define preobesity and obesity. Data were analysed with t-tests, analysis of variance and Chi(2) tests. RESULTS: 30.2% of participants were overweight, including 9.5% exhibiting obesity. Results showed that: girls were significantly more concerned by preobesity than boys; individuals with Down's syndrome were significantly more obese than those without genetic disorder; individuals taking psychotropic medications were significantly more obese than those who did not; no difference in prevalence could be identified regarding the level of intellectual disability and the presence or not of pervasive developmental disorders. CONCLUSION: The prevalences observed in this study are clearly higher than those observed in the general population. This creates a supplementary handicap for the social inclusion of this population. Specialized institutions should become aware of the recent development of this secondary illness.