Physical Activity, Screen-Time Behavior, and Obesity Among 13-Year Olds in Ireland with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Irish autistic teens are less active and more overweight—screen time alone doesn’t explain it, so build movement opportunities into daily routines.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Healy et al. (2017) asked Irish 13-year-olds to wear activity trackers and fill out screen-time logs.
They compared teens with autism to same-age peers without autism.
The team also measured height and weight to label each teen as normal, overweight, or obese.
What they found
Autistic teens moved less and were heavier.
They also watched more TV, but extra screen time did not fully explain the weight gap.
How this fits with other research
Ketcheson et al. (2018) saw the opposite pattern in preschoolers: autistic 2- to 5-year-olds sat less than typical kids.
The flip likely comes from age, not error. Little kids often climb and run in short bursts, while teens face stricter social rules and fewer recess chances.
Healy et al. (2020) later showed that bedroom TVs and no house rules drive most screen use in autistic children.
Together the papers say: start movement habits early, and tighten screen rules before the teen years hit.
Why it matters
You can’t blame weight gain only on screens. Build movement into daily routines instead.
Try walking clubs, dance breaks, or treadmill stations. Pair teens with peer mentors and schedule it like a class, not an option.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The primary purposes of this study were to compare (a) physical activity participation, screen-time habits, obesity, and (b) reported reasons for lack of participation in sport, between a nationally representative sample of Irish children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participation in moderate to vigorous activity, light activity, and sports was significantly lower among the group with ASD. On examination of screen time variables, no significant differences were seen between groups. However, time spent watching TV was higher among children with ASD. Overweight or obese status was more prevalent among the group with ASD (34.4 vs. 24.7 %). The findings are discussed in relation to international statistics on youth physical activity, screen-time, and weight status, and recommendations are provided for future research.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2017 · doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2920-4