Health & Medicine
Obesity, Diabetes During Pregnancy May Increase The Risk Of Autism
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Jan 31, 2016 10:51 PM EST
Mothers who are obese during their pregnancy are almost twice as likely to have a child with autism than those who weigh less, according to a recent study. Now, new findings published in the journal Pediatrics also show that being obese and having diabetes during pregnancy can almost quadruple the risk.
Statistics show that about one in 68 children have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"In terms of absolute risk, compared to common pediatric diseases such as obesity and asthma, the rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the U.S. population is relatively low, however, the personal, family and societal impact of ASD is enormous," said senior study author Dr. Xiaobin Wang, a public health and pediatrics researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, in a news release.
During the study, researchers analyzed data on close to 3,000 mother-child pairs followed at Boston Medical Center between 1998 and 2014. Findings showed that about 64 percent of the children were diagnosed with a development disorder while 102 kids were diagnosed with ASD, while 137 were found to have intellectual disabilities (ID).
"Our research highlights that the risk for autism begins in utero," said co-author M. Daniele Fallin, Ph.D., chair of the Bloomberg School's Department of Mental Health and director of the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. "It's important for us to now try to figure out what is it about the combination of obesity and diabetes that is potentially contributing to sub-optimal fetal health."
Researchers believe that though the association between autism and maternal health still remains unclear, hormones, inflammation and nutrients that are linked to diabetes may increase the risk of the health issues that could influence the brain of the fetus.
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TagsHealth, Human, Weight, Obesity, Autism, Pediatrics, Diabetes, data, Children, Boston Medical Center, Diagnosis ©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
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First Posted: Jan 31, 2016 10:51 PM EST
Mothers who are obese during their pregnancy are almost twice as likely to have a child with autism than those who weigh less, according to a recent study. Now, new findings published in the journal Pediatrics also show that being obese and having diabetes during pregnancy can almost quadruple the risk.
Statistics show that about one in 68 children have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"In terms of absolute risk, compared to common pediatric diseases such as obesity and asthma, the rate of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the U.S. population is relatively low, however, the personal, family and societal impact of ASD is enormous," said senior study author Dr. Xiaobin Wang, a public health and pediatrics researcher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, in a news release.
During the study, researchers analyzed data on close to 3,000 mother-child pairs followed at Boston Medical Center between 1998 and 2014. Findings showed that about 64 percent of the children were diagnosed with a development disorder while 102 kids were diagnosed with ASD, while 137 were found to have intellectual disabilities (ID).
"Our research highlights that the risk for autism begins in utero," said co-author M. Daniele Fallin, Ph.D., chair of the Bloomberg School's Department of Mental Health and director of the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. "It's important for us to now try to figure out what is it about the combination of obesity and diabetes that is potentially contributing to sub-optimal fetal health."
Researchers believe that though the association between autism and maternal health still remains unclear, hormones, inflammation and nutrients that are linked to diabetes may increase the risk of the health issues that could influence the brain of the fetus.
Related Articles
Pregnancy: Excess Weight Before Increases Infant Mortality Risk
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone