Recent research indicates that obesity before and during pregnancy is associated with a heightened risk of neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism and ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by short attention spans and impulsivity, while autism is often identified by repetitive behaviors and challenges in social communication.
A team of researchers, including experts from the University of South Australia, conducted a review of 42 studies involving over 3.6 million mother-child pairs. Their findings reveal that obesity during pregnancy raises the risk of ADHD in children by 32% and doubles the likelihood of developing autism.
"Our meta-analyses demonstrated that offspring exposed to preconception overweight and obesity were at 18 per cent and 57 per cent increased risk of ADHD, respectively, when compared with non-exposed offspring," the authors wrote in the study published in the journal Psychiatry Research.
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Additionally, being overweight or obese before pregnancy was linked to a 9% and 42% increase in the risk of autism, respectively. Furthermore, obesity prior to pregnancy was associated with a 30% and 47% heightened risk of developing behavioral issues, such as bullying and substance use, as well as difficulties in maintaining peer relationships.
According to lead researcher Bereket Duko from the University of South Australia, maternal obesity has been linked to several adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth.