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Study Finds Autism-Obesity Link in Mothers, Children
A new study suggests that children of obese mothers may be more likely to have an autism-spectrum disorder or related developmental delay.
New research has suggested that obesity in the mother is likely to be a contributory factor for the development of autism or related learning difficulties in children.
“If there is anything you can do to make yourself healthier, this is yet another reason for moms to consider,” said Paula Krakowiak, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, who led the study.
The study, of more than 1,000 children between the ages of two and five, examined children’s cognitive development and the existence of various metabolic conditions in the mother and the strongest link was found to be between obesity and autism-related problems.
“There is definitely an association present and it adds to the reasons for finding ways to lower obesity rates or diabetes rates and make greater efforts to change lifestyle factors,” Krakowiak said.
She and her colleagues also noted that nearly 60 percent of U.S. women of childbearing age are overweight, one third are obese and 16 percent have so-called metabolic syndrome – a constellation of symptoms, including high blood pressure and insulin resistance, that raise heart risk.
The result is not that surprising considering a recent report from the CDC estimated that one in 88 children now has an autism-spectrum disorder and that this represented a 25% increase over the past five years. Obesity rates have also been rising in the US for some time with many people warning about associated health risks.
States around the US have recently become more aware of the impact child obesity has on their learning ability, education and later health issues. If successful these programs may go some way to reversing the current obesity crisis in the nation’s youth and result in fewer obese mothers in later generations.
It should be noted that the study doesn’t prove a link between obesity and autism-spectrum development, it merely notes the parallel and more research is needed to confirm the link and investigate how the interaction works.
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Comments
It sounds like a proper nutrition issue, which may lead back to things like B vitamins.
Why B Vitamins? There’s a whole alphabet soup of “nutritional” things out there you could have quoted in this absolutely out-your-butt comment. Why did you pick B?
[...] may be more likely to have an autism-spectrum disorder or related developmental delay.”(more) Comments (0) Go to main news [...]
Perhaps you shouldn’t title this article “Study finds autism-obesity link” when the article then clearly states that “…the study doesn’t prove a link between obesity and autism-spectrum development.”
The study hasn’t found a causational link. Just a correlation. That’s a link too.
[...] reading this article I did not think that anyone underestimated the importance of recess for children in school. It is [...]
There have also been links between Jaundice at birth, mercy levels, and food intolerances (such as gluten resistance) I almost feel like this study would have to be much larger to support these conclusions. I also pose these questions: 1. If maternal obesity increases the risk for Autism why then have the rates not decreased in nations that are less obese? 2. If the maternal obesity increases the risk for Autism then why are so many Autistic children born to mother’s considered at a “healthy weight”? and lastly 3. Why isn’t Autism prevalent form birth. (why do most children develop normally until 16-24 months?)
I am the mother of an Autistic child and a “neuro -typical” (normally developing child). The funny thing to me is that I was a “healthy weight” with my son that is autistic, and a not so healthy weight with my son that is not. Just doesn’t make sense to me.
I also urge more twin studies like the ones that suggest that the activation of autism genes are caused by something in the environment. (post gestational) That in order to have an autistic child: that child must carry a gene for Autism and also have the correct environmental influences to activate those genes. 1000 kids or just over is not enough of a study group when 1 in ever 88 children are affected!!!!
It’s along way from when they used to say that Autism was the mother’s fault because they didn’t hold a baby enough but it still seems like another way to blame the mother.
If you take every scientific conclusion as an attack, and react defensively to every finding, you might as well forgo reading about any kind of scientific progress whatsoever. What is more important to you: that we find the actions, behaviors or things that increase the chance of autism in a child, or that we believe that parents didn’t do anything to increase the odds that their kids have it?
Was the study controlled for poverty?
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