Autism and America's obesity? (pregnant, blood pressure, overweight, treat)

[Braunwyn]

I've run across many arguments about autism prevalence as it relates to vaccines and even pollution. As I'm sure many of you know there is a recent study that notes a correlation between obesity among moms during pregnancy and autism. It's sad. For one, the US has clearly been facing weight issues for years and we've also been fighting the good fight for fat acceptance, but studies like this challenge accepted positions. What do you think?

"Autism may be linked to obesity during pregnancy.
It's among the first studies linking the two, and though it doesn't prove obesity causes autism, the authors say their results raise public health concerns because of the high level of obesity in this country.
Study women who were obese during pregnancy were about 67 percent more likely than normal-weight women to have autistic children. They also faced double the risk of having children with other developmental delays."

Autism may be linked to obesity during pregnancy

[L.K.]

I was going to post about this as well. To me, it makes a lot of sense. The autism rate seems to be increasing.....the obesity rate is increasing.
The whole obesity thing is getting so sad. I wish that people could understand how good and strong a body can feel at a healthy weight. The damage it can do is not fully understood by many.
Thanks for posting. It's FOOD for thought!

[PoppySead]

It makes me wonder if the medicines they give for diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy have an effect.

[Braunwyn]

Originally Posted by PoppySead

It makes me wonder if the medicines they give for diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy have an effect.

I didn't think of that. There are typically tox studies, although there should be absolutely no reason for a young woman to be on meds for diabetes and high blood pressure. The idea of it is quite shocking to me.

[PoppySead]

Originally Posted by Braunwyn

I didn't think of that. There are typically tox studies, although there should be absolutely no reason for a young woman to be on meds for diabetes and high blood pressure. The idea of it is quite shocking to me.

Yes, it is sad but over weight and going into a pregnancy will usually increase these issues. That's what made me think of the medications they use to treat them and the side effects they may not be aware of yet.
I wonder if it's covered in the study.

[Silver State]

Braunwyn, I have been hearing a lot about women over weight getting pregnant and having children with Autism.

Poppysead, Your post about Rx for diabetes makes a lot of sense.

[Braunwyn]

I'm on my phone so I can't access the studies. I'm sure you'll be able to find it if you google. Given that gestational diabetes is a well known risk I'm sure there have been studies done. Frankly, an obese woman with diabetes or hbp is going to have messed up metabolism and blood flow, right? Who knows what the effects may be.

[DitsyD]

I was not overweight, not did I take any of the meds during my pregnancies, and yet my two children are both on the autism spectrum.

Just saying.

It might be a factor for some, but by no means all.

[Braunwyn]

Originally Posted by DitsyD

I was not overweight, not did I take any of the meds during my pregnancies, and yet my two children are both on the autism spectrum.

Just saying.

It might be a factor for some, but by no means all.

Where do you get the message that the assertion is all? It's not statistically possible. Besides, I think the risk increase is something like 67%.

[Jukesgrrl]

I read that theory carefully and initially thought it might have some merit. Then I thought of all the people I know who have autistic children, including ones I know personally as well as famous people with autistic children. I couldn't think of one mother who was obese. On the other hand, I know three obese women who even had gestational diabetes issues during their pregnancies and none of them has an autistic child.

Could those study results be coincidence based on statistics more than physiology? More people have diabetes and more children are autistic, therefore one causes the other? I also would like to throw out that while I do believe there are more autistic children than there used to be, I think many cases on the autism spectrum merely went undiagnosed in previous years. I can think of several kids I went to school with that I'm sure would be diagnosed with autism now. But no one had ever heard of it back then.