Credits: Social Media
Obesity in moms doubles the risk of baby developing autism, study shows
A new piece of research from the University of South Australia highlighted how children born to obese mothers are more likely to develop neuropsychiatric and behavioral conditions like autism and ADHD.
Obesity is a growing issue not just in America, but throughout much of the world. Though most understand that it’s more complicated than eating the right foods and working out, there is no denying the overwhelming risk of being obese.
There is a link between maternal health and a child’s mental health
Ozempic, and the more effective Mounjaro, have given new hope to plus-size people across the world as obese people seek to shift their weight and live a healthier lifestyle. But it’s not just their own health they should be worried about.
New research published in the Science Direct journal this week looked into the associations between maternal health and the mental health of the child. The Centre of Research Excellence Health in Preconception & Pregnancy funded the study in association with both Curtin University and Monash University.
Through the analysis of 3.6 million mother-child pairs across 42 studies, the researchers identified that being obese increased the child’s risk of developing Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by 32%. Weight issues also increased the likelihood of developing Conduct Disorders by 16%.
Kids of overweight mothers are also 2.23 times more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Female obesity rates are growing
Lead researcher Dr Bereket Duko said that further research is needed but it has never been more important to acknowledge the effect of obesity on unborn children.
Maternal obesity has long been associated with a range of adverse perinatal outcomes, including preterm birth, low birthweight, stillbirth, and it is also linked with macrosomia, or high birthweight, he said. In this study, we examined maternal overweight and obesity before and during pregnancy, finding that both are significantly linked with psychiatric and behavioural problems in children later in life, specifically ASD, ADHD and peer relationship problems.”
With global obesity rates among women of reproductive age growing alongside increased numbers of children identified with neurodiverse conditions, the problem is not going away.
Dr. Duko added: Public health efforts that target improving maternal health could help mitigate some of the risks of neuropsychiatric and behavioural disorders in children, Dr Duko says.
While further research is needed to explore the biological mechanisms underlying these associations, the findings do stress the need for health interventions that promote healthy living and weight among parents to be.
