Abstract
Objective
To determine the prevalence of overweight/obese status in children with autism spectrum
disorders (ASD), identify associated characteristics, and develop a model to predict
weight status.
Methods
The prevalence of overweight and obesity was determined in 2769 children with ASD
enrolled in the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network, a collaboration of 17 academic
centers, and compared with a national sample matched for age, sex, and race. Associations
in the ASD sample between weight status and demographic and clinical variables, such
as age, race, head circumference, and adaptive functioning, were tested using ordinal
logistic regression. The accuracy of a final model that predicted weight status based
on early life variables was evaluated in a validation sample.
Results
The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 33.9% and 18.2%, respectively; ASD was
associated with a higher risk of obesity (but not overweight) relative to the national
sample (odds ratio [OR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.28; P = .003). In the adjusted analysis, overweight/obese status was significantly associated
with Hispanic ethnicity (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.37–2.89), parental high school education
(OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.09–2.21), high birth weight (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.11–2.18), macrocephaly
(OR, 4.01; 95% CI, 2.96–5.43), and increased somatic symptoms (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.01–1.95).
A prediction model designed to have high sensitivity predicted low risk of overweight/obesity
accurately, but had low positive predictive value.
Conclusions
The prevalence of obesity in children with ASD was greater than a national sample.
Independent associations with increased weight status included known risk factors
and macrocephaly and increased level of somatic symptoms. A model based on early life
variables accurately predicted low risk of overweight/obesity.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 30, 2015
Accepted:
March 16,
2015
Received:
August 11,
2014
Footnotes
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
