![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.JPG)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Northwest Hall (Chicago Hilton)
2:30 PM
Background: The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased dramatically in the last two decades. Numerous efforts are underway to understand, prevent and intervene on this significant risk to children’s health in typically developing children. However, little research has been done to assess the prevalence of obesity and risk factors associated with obesity in children with autism, a population that may be particularly vulnerable to the development of obesity by virtue of complex behavioral, physical, and psychosocial difficulties they experience. Understanding the prevalence of obesity in children with autism is an important undertaking, as it has implications for overall health and wellbeing.
Objectives: The goal of the current study was to estimate the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents with autism.
Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of cross-sectional nationally representative data collected by telephone interview of parents/guardians on 85,272 children ages 3-17 from the 2003–2004 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Autism was determined by response to the question, "Has a doctor or health professional ever told you that your child has autism?" Children and adolescents were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese according to CDC guidelines (2000) for body mass index (BMI) for age and sex. Results: After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household income-to-poverty ratio, children and adolescents with autism were 20% more likely than children and adolescents without autism to be obese (odds ratio (OR) = 1.2, 95% CI = 0.8, 1.8).
Conclusions: This study suggests that children with autism have a prevalence of obesity at least as high as children overall. Standard public health approaches to obesity prevention may not meet the needs of this population of children, underscoring the need for additional research to understand better the factors that influence the development of obesity in children with autism.
Objectives: The goal of the current study was to estimate the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents with autism.
Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of cross-sectional nationally representative data collected by telephone interview of parents/guardians on 85,272 children ages 3-17 from the 2003–2004 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Autism was determined by response to the question, "Has a doctor or health professional ever told you that your child has autism?" Children and adolescents were classified as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese according to CDC guidelines (2000) for body mass index (BMI) for age and sex. Results: After adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household income-to-poverty ratio, children and adolescents with autism were 20% more likely than children and adolescents without autism to be obese (odds ratio (OR) = 1.2, 95% CI = 0.8, 1.8).
Conclusions: This study suggests that children with autism have a prevalence of obesity at least as high as children overall. Standard public health approaches to obesity prevention may not meet the needs of this population of children, underscoring the need for additional research to understand better the factors that influence the development of obesity in children with autism.