The purpose of this project was to compare the nutrient intakes and eating behaviors of boys with and without autism. Parents of 20 boys with autism and 18 controls aged 7-10 years completed an eating behaviors questionnaire and 3-day food record. There were no differences in nutrient intake between the groups. The control group consumed a greater variety of foods; boys with autism based food choices on texture to a greater degree than the boys without autism, and more parents of boys with autism indicated difficulty getting their child to eat (P < .05). Thus, eating behaviors differ between boys with and without autism.A UTISM is a complex developmental disability characterized by impaired social interaction and communication skills, often accompanied by repetitive behaviors or interests that may influence eating behaviors. Autism is believed to occur in 1 in 150 individuals 1 and prevalence is increasing by 10% to 17% per year. 2 Currently, 1.5 million people are diagnosed with autism in the United States, a number that will rise to approximately 4 million within the next decade. 2 Autism, which is normally diagnosed in the first 3 years of life, is 3 to 4 times more

SummaryThis study assessed the strength of the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) in Southwestern Ontario. Utilizing perinatal and neonatal databases at the London Health Science Centre, maternal postal codes were entered into a Geographic Information System to determine home neighbourhoods. Neighbourhoods were defined by dissemination areas (DAs). Median household income for each DA was extracted from the latest Canadian Census and linked to each mother. All singleton infants born between February 2009 and February 2014 were included. Of 26,654 live singleton births, 6.4% were LBW and 9.7% were PTB. Top risk factors for LBW were: maternal amphetamine use, chronic hypertension and maternal marijuana use (OR respectively: 17.51, 3.18, 2.72); previously diagnosed diabetes, maternal narcotic use and insulin-controlled gestational diabetes predicted PTB (OR respectively: 17.95, 2.69, 2.42). Overall, SES had little impact on adverse birth outcomes, although low maternal education increased the likelihood of a LBW neonate (OR: 1.01).

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One in four Canadian adults is obese, and more women are entering pregnancy with a higher body mass index (BMI) than in the past. Pregnant women who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications than women of normal weight. Gestational weight gain (GWG) is also associated with childhood obesity. Although the factors influencing weight gain during pregnancy are multifaceted, little is known about the social inequality of GWG. This review will address some of the socioeconomic factors and maternal characteristics influencing weight gain and the impact that excessive GWG has on health outcomes such as post-partum weight retention. The effects of an overweight or obese pre-pregnancy BMI on GWG and neonatal outcomes will also be addressed. The timing of weight gain is also important, as recommendations now include trimester-specific guidelines. While not conclusive, preliminary evidence suggests that excessive weight gain during the first trimester is most detrimental.

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