Characterizing self-reported physical activity before and during a subsequent pregnancy among parents in a familial autism cohort.
Megan G Bragg, Olivia Vesey, Jorge E Chavarro and 10 others
PMID 39235189WHAT IT FOUND
Most parents of autistic children miss exercise targets, dropping to under 10% during pregnancy.
While child autism traits did not predict overall activity levels, mothers of children with higher trait scores were nearly three times as likely to stop vigorous exercise when pregnant.
Key findings
01Only 9.3% of pregnant mothers met physical activity guidelines, compared to about 40% of non-pregnant mothers and fathers.
02Mothers of children with high autism trait scores were almost three times as likely to abstain from vigorous-intensity physical activity during pregnancy.
03The study found no significant association between child autism trait scores and general minutes of physical activity for mothers or fathers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study lacked a comparison group of parents of non-autistic children, making it impossible to determine if low activity levels are specific to autism caregiving or general parenting. Physical activity was self-reported via questionnaire, which tends to overestimate actual activity levels. The sample was predominantly well-educated and non-Hispanic white, limiting generalizability to diverse populations. The study only measured aerobic activity and did not include strength-building activities. The association between autism traits and vigorous activity loss during pregnancy was sensitive to statistical adjustments and may not be robust.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts to declare.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that caring for a child with autism causes general physical inactivity in parents. The study found no significant link between autism trait scores and total activity minutes; the only specific finding was a higher likelihood of stopping vigorous exercise during pregnancy, which is a distinct and narrower result.