Parental Feeding Practices and Child-Related Factors are Associated with Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Expect earlier puberty and watch weight closely in kids with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Eow et al. (2022) looked at how parents feed their kids and how child traits link to extra weight in youth with autism.
They compared kids and teens with ASD to typical peers. They used surveys and growth charts.
What they found
Kids with ASD started puberty earlier. Boys moved through puberty faster than girls.
Extra weight did not connect to mood or anxiety symptoms in the ASD group.
How this fits with other research
Healy et al. (2019) and Heald et al. (2020) also saw higher obesity in autistic teens. They add that severe autism traits and low activity raise the risk even more.
Hamama et al. (2021) extends the story: girls with ASD show more emotional over-eating. This may explain why some gain weight.
Granich et al. (2016) first counted the problem, finding one in three youth with ASD were overweight. Yen now shows parent feeding style and child factors feed into that number.
Why it matters
Start puberty talks early with ASD clients, especially boys. Track BMI at every visit. Ask parents about pressure to eat, using food as reward, and child food selectivity. Pair puberty education with simple feeding goals to slow weight gain and ease family stress.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impaired social communication and poor adaptation to change; thus, pubertal development may be precarious. Pubertal timing and tempo were measured in 244 youth (7.9% Black, 83.3% White, and 8.7% multiracial) with ASD (N = 140) and typical development (N = 104). Pubertal development was measured using Tanner staging of Genital (G, males), Breast (B, females), and pubic hair (PH) in both sexes at Year 1 (10-13 years), Year 2 (11-14 years), and Year 3 (12-15 years). Nonlinear mixed effects models analyzed interindividual differences in timing and tempo. For both sexes, ASD and higher body mass index were associated with earlier pubertal timing. Males generally exhibited faster tempo than females. Linear regression models did not show associations between pubertal timing and internalizing symptoms at time three. Findings showing advanced pubertal maturation in ASD youth suggest greater risk of psychological, social, and physiological challenges. LAY SUMMARY: Youth with ASD have difficulty in social communication and adaption to change, thus puberty may be a challenging transition. The study examined onset (timing) and progression (tempo) of puberty over three years, using physical exam, in 244 adolescents with and without ASD, enrolled at ages 10-13. ASD youth started puberty earlier, while males generally progressed at a faster pace. Further examination of puberty in ASD should identify impact on social, behavioral, and mental health outcomes.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2022 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2050-9