Not just at school: Inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder in a weight management program in a community pediatric setting.
Juan C Espinoza, Alexis Deavenport-Saman, Olga Solomon and 6 others
PMID 33626921WHAT IT FOUND
Children with autism completed an inclusive weight management program at the same rate as peers without autism.
They achieved similar weight outcomes. Adaptations like predictable routines and sensory adjustments allowed them to participate fully alongside typically developing children.
Key findings
01Families of children with ASD completed the program at similar rates to families of children without ASD (73.3% vs 71.3%).
02There were no significant differences in weight outcomes (BMI z-scores) between children with and without ASD after adjusting for sociodemographic factors.
03Program adaptations, including predictable structures, sensory environment considerations, and support from occupational therapy residents, facilitated inclusion.
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 was a secondary analysis of an RCT not originally designed to test ASD outcomes, effectively making it a retrospective cohort study. The sample of children with ASD was small (n=20), limiting the power to detect subtle differences. Participants were self-selected families who had already agreed to join an intensive weight management program, suggesting higher baseline motivation than the general population. The study did not characterize the specific phenotypes of ASD (e.g., cognitive capacity, communication level) in the participants. The setting was a specific urban federally qualified health center with a predominantly low-income, Hispanic/Latino population, which may limit generalizability.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the weight management program itself is more effective for children with ASD. The study found no difference in outcomes between groups, meaning the program worked similarly for both, not that it was specifically superior for either.