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Overweight and Obesity Epidemic: Weight Status in Individuals with Autism

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Comprehensive Guide to Autism

Abstract

Today overweight and obesity are major concerns in all regions, age groups, and clinical populations, including people with developmental disabilities (e.g., autism). Obese individuals face several health problems such as increased risks of dyslipidemia, hypertension, asthma, diabetes type 2, and also cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, obesity can have psychological and social adverse effects, including low self-confidence and poor social and economic outcomes. Although data shows abnormalities in weight status in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the story is somewhat different from typically developing people. This chapter presents a brief overview on trends of obesity in autism, risk factors for overweight and obesity in autism, and consequences of obesity that could potentially have detrimental interactions with coexisting health conditions in individuals with ASD. Finally the current therapeutic interventions and preventive strategies to control or reverse the obesity adverse effects in individuals with ASD will be discussed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 7, Al-e-Ahmad Highway, Tehran, Iran

    Amir Hossein Memari

  2. Growth and Development Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No 62. Gharib St. Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, Iran

    Vahid Ziaee

Authors
  1. Amir Hossein Memari
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  2. Vahid Ziaee
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Correspondence to Amir Hossein Memari .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Westminster, Faculty of Science & Technology, London, United Kingdom

    Vinood B. Patel

  2. Nutritional Sciences Division and Genomics Centre, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

    Victor R. Preedy

  3. Faculty of Society and Health, Buckinghamshire New University, Middlesex, United Kingdom

    Colin R. Martin

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Memari, A.H., Ziaee, V. (2014). Overweight and Obesity Epidemic: Weight Status in Individuals with Autism. In: Patel, V., Preedy, V., Martin, C. (eds) Comprehensive Guide to Autism. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4788-7_118

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4788-7_118

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4787-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4788-7

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science

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