Maternal obesity, diabetes associated with autism, other developmental disorders

[DavidDvorkin]

A major study of the relationships between maternal metabolic conditions and the risk that a child will be born with a neurodevelopmental disorder has found strong links between maternal diabetes and obesity and the likelihood of having a child with autism or another developmental disability.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/uoc--mod032812.php

Perhaps this partly explains the increase in autism.

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. Another study this week indicated that it's "linked" to older dads.

So fat, diabetic moms and geeky older dads have kids with autism? Thanks!

This "correlation" crap is making me nuts. It's probably also correlated with owning mini-vans, Thomas Kinkade art, taking antacids and watching 60 minutes.

I want to hear the word "causes".

[sudopod]

11. But really, why you mad though? nt

[lumberjack_jeff]

12. I'm tired of breathless reporting of stuff that is "correlated" with autism.

A few years ago, researchers identified clusters of autism cases near Seattle and San Jose. Conclusion? We all know how many geeks and techie types live there, so clearly this means that geeks breed people with autism.

Catch that? An environmental correlation is proof of a genetic cause.

[sudopod]

13. I don't know the specifics in this case, but it should be noted that

most of these studies aren't for public consumption. They're written by and for other scientists, who are trying to find the underlying mechanisms. Correlations are not the answer, but they are not without value. As pieces of evidence, correlations can help point the way to the true root causes.

If anyone is at fault, it is mostly journalism and communication majors who have a financial interest in driving reading traffic to their papers and web sites, and who therefore try to make the findings into something they're not.

For example: http://xkcd.com/882/

[KT2000]

2. Fat stores chemicals

and are then passed to the fetus. One must wander in to the environmental research to see what effect that has on the fetus. Environmental research is pretty much quarantined from the rest of medical research.

[laundry_queen]

3. This is my vote.

Although I agree with the first poster about how ridiculous this can get sometimes.

There's also another way to look at it: There is some research that supports that the chemical endocrine disruptors in our environment CAUSE people to be fat. If there are enough of those chemicals that are making people fat, perhaps the same chemicals that are causing the autism. Perhaps it's not the fat that causes the chemical retention that causes autism, but that both the obesity and the autism are concurrent results of a chemical laden environment.

[KT2000]

6. I just have a feeling

that some of the ridiculousness is caused by the fact that researchers are afraid to get too close to offending their corporate funders. There is tons of money for smoking and lifestyle research now - not so much for effects of chemicals on human health. Senator Lautenberg is trying to change that and have chemicals thoroughly tested but there is stiff opposition from the very people who fund some of these lifestyle studies.

[laundry_queen]

10. Yep.

Agreed.

Even here in Canada researchers are being censored. Big corps win every time.

[Igel]

4. It either stores or doesn't store it.

It's not like it stores it until it senses a fetus.

The contaminants are released at really low levels as a rule--and if there's still background levels in the environment, this doesn't affect the chemicals' blood concentrations. Or they're released in larger doses when the fat cells lose fat and storage capacity.

Most women I've seen put on fat during pregnancy. You're still in search of a good mechanism.

[KT2000]

5. It is passed in the cord blood

is my understanding. Breast milk also contains exogenous chemicals.
Triggers for release include pregnancy, stress and weight loss.
Levels passed to the fetus are not as relevant as the timing during development.

Yes - a greater understanding of the mechanism is essential. Research money does not usually go to those investigating chemical effects. Corporate grants and funding have a stifling effect on research institutions.

[X_Digger]

7. 80% of mothers of kids with autism were *not* obese.

[div class='excerpt']Over 20 percent of the mothers of children with autism or other developmental disability were obese, compared with 14 percent of the mothers of normally developing children.

Is losing weight before getting pregnant a good idea? Sure. Is eating healthy and staying at a good weight while pregnant a good thing? Absolutely.

Is freaking out over whether or not that extra 15lbs will cause your baby to be autistic a good thing? Fuck no.

Another case of the media (or study authors) hyping up papers that don't show what people claim.

http://www.cracked.com/article_18458_6-subtle-ways-news-media-disguises-bullshit-as-fact.html

[RagAss]

8. Autism and Diabetes = Vitamin D3 Deficiency.

[SheilaT]

9. It's a correlation,

not causation. The problem with studies like these, like so many linked on DU, is that they will show an association of some kind between something and a disease or condition. People tend to leap to the conclusion that the association is the same as causation.