Weight Management in Primary Care for Children With Autism: Expert Recommendations
Authors
Curtin, CarolHyman, Susan L.
Boas, Diane D.
Hassink, Sandra
Broder-Fingert, Sarabeth
Ptomey, Lauren T.
Dreyer Gillette, Meredith
Fleming, Richard K.
Must, Aviva
Bandini, Linda G.
UMass Chan Affiliations
Healthy Weight Research NetworkDepartment of Psychiatry
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health
Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center
Document Type
Journal ArticlePublication Date
2020-04-01Keywords
Dietetics and Clinical NutritionDisability Studies
Health Services Administration
Health Services Research
Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases
Pediatrics
Primary Care
Psychiatry and Psychology
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Research suggests that the prevalence of obesity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is higher than in typically developing children. The US Preventive Services Task Force and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have endorsed screening children for overweight and obesity as part of the standard of care for physicians. However, the pediatric provider community has been inadequately prepared to address this issue in children with ASD. The Healthy Weight Research Network, a national research network of pediatric obesity and autism experts funded by the US Health Resources and Service Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau, developed recommendations for managing overweight and obesity in children with ASD, which include adaptations to the AAP's 2007 guidance. These recommendations were developed from extant scientific evidence in children with ASD, and when evidence was unavailable, consensus was established on the basis of clinical experience. It should be noted that these recommendations do not reflect official AAP policy. Many of the AAP recommendations remain appropriate for primary care practitioners to implement with their patients with ASD; however, the significant challenges experienced by this population in both dietary and physical activity domains, as well as the stress experienced by their families, require adaptations and modifications for both preventive and intervention efforts. These recommendations can assist pediatric providers in providing tailored guidance on weight management to children with ASD and their families.Source
Curtin C, Hyman SL, Boas DD, Hassink S, Broder-Fingert S, Ptomey LT, Gillette MD, Fleming RK, Must A, Bandini LG. Weight Management in Primary Care for Children With Autism: Expert Recommendations. Pediatrics. 2020 Apr;145(Suppl 1):S126-S139. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1895P. PMID: 32238539. Link to article on publisher's site
DOI
10.1542/peds.2019-1895PPermanent Link to this Item
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/49019PubMed ID
32238539Related Resources
ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1542/peds.2019-1895P