Is there a Correlation between Sensory Processing Issues and Weight? Jaclyn Pautz and Dr. Julia Wilbarger Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology - University of Wisconsin-Madison RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS Background Information Sensory processing/integration is the organization of sensations for use or function Sensory processing oftentimes affects a child’s ability or desire to partake in physical activity as well as their choices of food intake Populations affected by sensory processing issues include Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, ADHD, and Developmental Coordination Disorder Purpose of Preliminary Study To examine the percentages of children who are overweight in populations that are known to have sensory processing issues The findings will support the need for future studies Hypothesis Children with ADHD (ADHD), Autism (ASD), and Developmental Delay (DD) display a higher percentage of children who are overweight than the general population, based on their BMI RESULTSCONCLUSIONSINTRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Second Analysis: BMI percentages were compared between children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Developmental Delay (DD) A special thank you to my research advisor, Dr. Julia Wilbarger who gave her time and energy, and to the participants who provided information about their lives. Also, a thank you cannot go unsaid to my classmates and family members for their unconditional support. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Examined data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NS-CSHCN) database of existing data (N = 91,642) A cross-sectional, random telephone survey Examined data of children with recorded Body Mass Index (BMI) (children aged 10-17, N = 44,101) BMI defines obesity and is derived from the child’s weight in kilograms divided by the child’s height in meters squared Use percentile rank of BMI where >85% is overweight or obese (>95% is obese) Occupational therapists are experts in lifestyle redesign, can accommodate sensory integration sensitivities, and would be a beneficial addition to a treatment team for children who are overweight or obese Incorporate a sensory diet and lifestyle to regulate self and incorporate comfortable ways to expend energy, find an acceptable and nutritious diet, and therefore reduce weight gain Two-way contingency table analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between two variables 1.Disorder type: ADHD, ASD, DD Q: Is your child currently diagnosed with [disorder type]? 2. BMI percentage (derived variable) – under or over 85% for the expected age First Analysis: BMI percentages of CSHCN were compared to those of children without SHCN All categories of disorders have a larger percentage of children with a BMI >85% than the general population ASD has a significantly higher percentage of children with a BMI over 85% than other children with special health care needs (p <.001) ASD is known to have sensory processing issues affecting motor coordination, body awareness, and feeding PROPOSED RESEARCH Future research is necessary in order to determine whether sensory processing is a contributing factor to weight gain Give Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) to parents of children who are overweight that are referred to the UW- Health Pediatric Fitness Clinic Compare scores to the normative population to see if there is a difference in sensory processing areas that may affect physical activity or diet Important in order to design alternative interventions for this vulnerable population Interdisciplinary involvement is necessary to better understand the child and all contributing factors of weight gain Figure 1: Overweight and obesity in CSHCN vs children without SHCN (N = 44,101) Figure 2: BMI percentages of children with ADHD, ASD, and DD (N = 4,904) Table 1: Number of Participants in each category