Chronic disease risks in young adults with autism spectrum disorder: forewarned is forearmed.

Researchers pulled health records for young adults with autism and matched controls. They looked for high cholesterol, obesity, and high blood pressure.

The team compared odds of each condition between the two groups.

Adults with autism had double the chance of high cholesterol. They also carried higher rates of obesity and hypertension.

The gaps showed up early, in the twenties-to-thirties age band.

Wu et al. (2015) saw the same heavy health use in Taiwanese kids with ASD. Together the papers trace a lifelong arc: more doctor visits in childhood, more chronic disease in adulthood.

Wormald et al. (2019) extend the picture. They found anxiety and depression worsen pain behaviors in autistic adults. Mood may be one pathway that turns medical risk into real symptoms you see in clinic.

Børgje et al. (2012) tracked another hidden burden: stubborn sleep problems in autistic children. Add the three studies and you get a timeline—poor sleep as kids, mood strain as teens, metabolic disease as adults.

Screen early, even when clients look healthy. Check blood pressure, weight, and lipids before age 30. Build medical follow-up into the behavior plan—schedule it just like you would a reinforcement interval. A simple referral log on the data sheet can keep the whole team on track.