Autism, ADHD, and Maternal Obesity: A Personal Reflection from an Autistic Woman By: Michelle Zeman
Did you know that obesity during pregnancy may contribute to their child potentially developing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? This shocked me, too! According to an Australian meta-analysis, obesity during pregnancy was found to be more than double the risk of a child developing ASD, while the risk of ADHD increased by 32%. In this meta-analysis, maternal overweight and obesity before and during pregnancy were studied, and interestingly enough, showed significant links with psychiatric and behavioral problems in children later in life. I was reading this from a Newsweek article, and, of course, I have to practice philosophical doubt, meaning I have to question its credibility. Then I stumbled upon this research article . As a behavior analyst, I find myself curious to look at the data behind this. Lo and behold, the scientific evidence showed up, and my doubts were silenced. It’s interesting, though, because I would have ...