Weight Management Outcomes of Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder Seeking Treatment from a Multidisciplinary Team.
Haley J Killian, Isabella K Pallotto, Brooke R Sweeney and 1 others
PMID 33791886WHAT IT FOUND
Over one year in a specialized multidisciplinary weight-management clinic, youth with autism and obesity had lower BMI relative to age and sex norms.
There was no comparison group, so the clinic was not shown to cause the reduction.
Key findings
01Youth's BMI relative to age and sex norms decreased over the year of clinic treatment.
02Higher baseline obesity class was associated with larger decreases in BMI relative to age and sex norms over time.
03Parent-reported sleep problems were associated with slightly smaller decreases over time.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
There was no comparison group, so the study cannot show that the clinic caused the BMI reduction. The clinic provided several components at once, including diet, behavioral routines, sleep-related care, and medication management, so the effect of any single component cannot be separated. It was a single-site study at one hospital, so results may not generalize to other clinics. Attrition was high: 35.1% did not return for a 12-month follow-up, and 48 patients remained. The sample was relatively small. ASD severity was not measured, so it is unclear how autism-related difficulties affected treatment uptake or response. Feeding and mealtime difficulties were not included in the analysis, although the authors note they are common in youth with autism.
Declared interests
The paper states that funding came from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. No additional conflict-of-interest declaration is provided.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the yearly BMI decrease as proof that the clinic works. There was no comparison group, and diet, behavior, sleep, and medication management were given together, so the contribution of any single component cannot be separated.