Link between obesity and autism

New research suggests obesity during pregnancy may increase the chances of having a child with autism.

While the study doesn’t prove obesity causes autism, the University of California researchers say their results raise public health concerns because of the high level of obesity in the U.S.

Study participants who were obese during pregnancy were about 67% more likely than so called “normal weight” women to have autistic children.

On average, women face a one in 88 chance of having a child with autism, but the study results suggest that obesity during pregnancy would increase that to a one in 53 chance.

The study is being released online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.