I have been asked about this study a lot during the last few days.  I’m a little late to report this very interesting study published in Pediatrics, potentially linking mom’s obesity during pregnancy with their child’s risk of developing autism.

The study suggests that obese moms are 67% more likely to have a child with autism and 2x more likely to have a child with other developmental problems.  This study shows that the metabolic state of obese women during pregnancy is associated with autism and other developmental delays. It does not say that being obese causes autism- more research will need to be done to make the cause-and-effect relationship.

While there is a lot we don’t know about autism, we are slowly growing a list environmental factors that have been associated with an increase risk of autism. For example, last year a study was published associating autism risk with how close mom lives to a freeway during pregnancy. There are obvious environmental triggers that, when coupled with a child’s genetic predisposition, contribute to the development of autism. We can’t control our genes but we can control how certain genes are expressed. And, again, while there is so much we don’t know about autism development, we do know that we live in a toxic world and we are getting fatter. Being obese changes our internal environment and it doesn’t surprise me that these changes may be noted as another risk factor.

I am a big believer in getting the body in optimum health prior to conceiving.  A healthy, clean body and normal weight promotes an easier conception and a healthy pregnancy, birth and baby.  And, it seems, a healthy body and weight during conception and pregnancy, may protect against autism and other developmental delays.