The prevalence and risk factors for overweight/obesity among Turkish children with neurodevelopmental disorders

To compare the prevalence and correlates of overweight (OW) and obesity (OB) between autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to investigate which variables significantly contribute to OW/OB in each group.

Of 267 cases (96 with ASD, 80 with ID, and 91 with ADHD) aged 2-18 years, body mass index (BMI) percentiles, birth weight, food reward usage, weekly screen and physical activity time, and psychotropics used were recorded.

OB (OB + OW) prevalence was 22.9 % (36.4 %) in ASD; 22.5 % (40 %) in ID; and 17.6 % (27.5 %) in ADHD. Although the ADHD group had the highest rate of stimulant usage (χ2 = 69.605, p < 0.001), physical activity attendance (χ2 = 49.751, p < 0.001), and the lowest anti-psychotic (χ2 = 69.142, p < 0.001), and anti-depressant usage (χ2 = 7.219, p < 0.001) than ID/DD or ASD, BMI percentile of the participants did not differ between the groups (H(2) = 1.652, p = 0.43). In hierarchical logistic regression analysis, in ASD, food reward (OR = 4.65, 95 %Cl = 1.25-17.19) and the number of psychotropics used (OR = 2.168, 95 %Cl = 1.07-4.36) were significantly related to the risk of OW/OB. In ADHD, each drugs administered and a 1-kilogram elevation in birth weight was associated with a 4.09 and 2.82 increased risk for OW/OB.

OW/OB is prevalent in children with neurodevelopmental disorders regardless of their diagnosis. Our findings showed that food rewards put a higher risk for OW/OB in ASD than administering a psychotropic. It could be better to use other positive reinforcements other than edible ones to prevent OW/OB in these children.