Healthy-Weight Kindergarten Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder May Become Overweight and Obese during the First Few Years of Elementary School

Abstract

Analysis of a population-based, nationally-representative longitudinal sample from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 identified an increase in healthy-weight children with autism spectrum disorder becoming overweight and obese between first and second grade, thus identifying a critical period for early prevention and treatment.