Abstract

Obesity is present in 8–32% of the children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, most studies are performed in school-aged children from the USA. The current study compares obesity rates of Dutch preschoolers with ASD with children from the Dutch general population and explores which child- and parental factors are related to obesity in children with ASD. This cross-sectional study is part of the ongoing Tandem Study (Dutch Trial register: NL7534). Seventy-eight children with ASD aged 3–7 years and their parents (77 mothers, 67 fathers) participated. Child factors are: Body Mass Index (by physical measurement), child eating behavior (Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire), child problem behavior (Child Behavior Checklist), and ASD severity (Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale 2). Parental factors are: BMI (by physical measurement), parental eating behavior (Dutch Eating Behavior Inventory), parenting stress (The Parenting Stress Questionnaire) and highest completed educational level (SES). Children with ASD were 8 times more often obese (16.8%) than children from the general population (2.0%). Child BMI correlated positively with child food approach behavior and maternal BMI, and correlated negatively with child ‘Slowness in eating’. There was no correlation between child BMI and ASD severity, problem behavior, parental eating behavior, parental stress and SES. Thus, Dutch, preschool children with ASD have 8 times higher obesity rates than children from the general population. More attention to obesity risk in research and clinical care could contribute to the quality of life of individuals with ASD and their families.

Clinical Trial Registration

Dutch Trial register, NL7534, https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NL7534.

中文翻译：

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对患有自闭症谱系障碍的学龄前儿童肥胖的新见解

摘要

8-32% 的自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 儿童患有肥胖症。然而，大多数研究都是在美国的学龄儿童中进行的。目前的研究比较了患有自闭症谱系障碍的荷兰学龄前儿童与荷兰普通人群儿童的肥胖率，并探讨了哪些儿童和父母因素与自闭症谱系障碍儿童的肥胖相关。这项横断面研究是正在进行的串联研究（荷兰试验登记号：NL7534）的一部分。 78 名 3-7 岁的 ASD 儿童及其父母（77 名母亲，67 名父亲）参与了研究。儿童因素包括：体重指数（通过身体测量）、儿童饮食行为（儿童饮食行为问卷）、儿童问题行为（儿童行为检查表）和 ASD 严重程度（自闭症诊断观察量表 2）。父母因素包括：BMI（通过身体测量）、父母饮食行为（荷兰饮食行为量表）、育儿压力（育儿压力问卷）和最高完成教育水平（SES）。自闭症谱系障碍儿童 (16.8%) 的肥胖率是普通儿童 (2.0%) 的 8 倍。儿童 BMI 与儿童进食行为和母亲 BMI 呈正相关，与儿童“进食缓慢”呈负相关。儿童 BMI 与 ASD 严重程度、问题行为、父母饮食行为、父母压力和 SES 之间没有相关性。因此，荷兰患有 ASD 的学龄前儿童的肥胖率是普通儿童的 8 倍。在研究和临床护理中更多地关注肥胖风险可能有助于提高自闭症谱系障碍患者及其家人的生活质量。

临床试验注册

荷兰审判登记册，NL7534，https://Trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NL7534。