A chart showing hazard ratios of having an autistic child. Data were analyzed for pregnant women who had anorexia, bulimia or an unspecified eating disorder either before their pregnancy or during their pregnancy. Anorexia was significantly associated with higher odds of having a child with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Data are based on 52,878 children born to mothers in Sweden between 1990 and 2012. Of those mothers, 8,813 had a diagnosed eating disorder either before their pregnancy or during their pregnancy. Data were adjusted for the child’s sex and birth year, as well as maternal age and psychiatric comorbidities, among other factors. Only anorexia was significantly associated with higher odds of having an autistic child. A hazard ratio of 1 suggests no association between eating disorders and autism or ADHD.