To investigate the association between maternal body mass index (BMI) during early pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring, highlighting its public health significance.
Key Findings:
Higher maternal BMI in early pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of ASD in offspring (p-value < 0.05).
The association shows a dose-response relationship, with higher BMI correlating with greater ASD risk.
The risk is specific to ASD and is also examined in relation to co-occurring intellectual disability (ID) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Interpretation:
The findings suggest that maternal obesity may contribute to the risk of ASD in children, potentially through mechanisms such as systemic inflammation and pregnancy complications, underscoring the need for targeted public health interventions.
Limitations:
The study may be affected by residual confounding from unmeasured familial factors, which could influence the association.
Data on maternal BMI was self-reported in Denmark, which may introduce measurement bias.
Conclusion:
This study provides robust evidence linking elevated maternal BMI during early pregnancy to increased ASD risk in offspring, highlighting the urgent need for public health interventions targeting maternal weight management.
by Matilda Morin, Weiyao Yin, Heidi MacLean, Bernie Devlin, Abraham Reichenberg, Shanna H. Swan, Joseph D. Buxbaum, Diana Schendel, Martina Persson, Thomas Munk Laursen, Alexander Kolevzon, Jakob Grove, Lambertus Klei, Kathryn Roeder, Sven Sandin
