Body mass index in male and female children with pervasive developmental disorders.
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to evaluate body mass index (BMI) of children with a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) attending two university clinics during the 1960-84 period.


METHODS
BMI derived from medical records of 83 consecutively admitted children with atypical autism and 115 children with Asperger syndrome were compared with the corresponding BMI percentiles in an age- and sex-matched reference population.


RESULTS
The BMI distribution of the boys, but not the girls, in both diagnostic categories was significantly lower than those of the age-matched reference populations. Approximately 15% of the boys had a BMI below the fifth percentile.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings are comparable to the results of other studies. Particular attention is given to low BMI as a potential endophenotype in boys with PDD.
Mouridsen
Svend E
SE
Cand Psych, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. sem01@bbh.hosp.dk
Rich
Bente
B
Isager
Torben
T
D000293:Adolescent; D020817:Asperger Syndrome; D001321:Autistic Disorder; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors