Obese Parents Are More Likely To Have Autistic Kids, Says Harvard Psychiatrist

In the episode, "Transform Your Mental Health With Diet & Lifestyle," Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Chris Palmer recently sat down with Andrew Huberman to discuss the impact of paternal obesity and how it significantly increases the risk of autism in children.

How Obesity and Autism Are Connected

Dr. Palmer says obese women are twice as likely to have an autistic child. He said, "Women with obesity much more likely, twice as likely, to have an autistic child. Meta-analysis, over 3 million people. Women with obesity have double the risk of having an autistic child."

The same goes for women with diabetes. "Women who have diabetes, twice as likely to have autistic children as women who don't have diabetes,” he tells Huberman. “When you put the two together, obese and diabetic quadruple the rate of autism in the offspring." You heard that right: If obesity alone doubles the risk, as does diabetes, then you’re looking at four times the likelihood of having a child with autism. 

As for dads, Dr. Palmer said that obese men are also more likely to have autistic kids."Men with obesity, twice as likely to have an autistic child as men who are not obese,” he added. Huberman then explained that older sperm would lead to a "very low probability of autism" compared to obese men in their 20s or 30s.

If you’re wondering why obesity and diabetes affect autism risk, the answer likely lies in mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are essential for brain development. If they’re dysfunctional during fetal development, it can affect the brain. Dr. Palmer and Huberman discussed how poor mitochondrial health (often caused by metabolic issues like obesity and diabetes) can impact social cognition, potentially leading to autism. 

What Do the Studies Say?

If you need more proof, a 2014 study with nearly 93,000 children found that paternal obesity was an independent risk factor for autism. Results found that children with obese dads had a 73% higher risk of autistic disorder and were twice as likely to be diagnosed with Asperger’s. Meanwhile, maternal obesity showed a weaker connection to autism overall, but still contributed.

Unfortunately, the obesity epidemic isn’t going anywhere and only seems to be getting worse. While the internet loves to argue about whether autism is just being diagnosed more frequently or actually increasing in prevalence, researchers like Palmer and Huberman want the public to realize that metabolic health is likely a huge factor.

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