22 Dec 2025 • Individuals with autism faced a significantly higher burden of cardiometabolic disease in a nationwide Dutch analysis of more than 8 million individuals aged 12–65 years.

Overall cardiometabolic risk was 20% higher than in those without autism (HR 1.20), with consistent elevations across conditions—hypertension (HR 1.16), dyslipidemia (HR 1.17), diabetes (HR 1.22), stroke (HR 1.23), and heart failure (HR 1.28). Risks were similar in males and females and were evident from adolescence through midlife, but not after age 41–65 years.

The findings point to autism as an early-life risk marker and support proactive cardiometabolic screening and prevention to curb long-term cardiovascular burden.

Source: Nature | Read full story