| Women with anorexia nervosa before or during pregnancy have an increased chance of having a child with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a new study. About 20 percent of people with anorexia — an eating disorder marked by food restrictions, low body weight and an intense fear of weight gain — are autistic, but estimates vary. Prior work has suggested that anorexia and autism could share genetic roots, but many studies have looked at the connection only in people actively seeking treatment for an eating disorder, making it hard to control for confounding factors such as medication use. |
