Lancet study finds Autism Spectrum Disorder among top 10 causes of non-fatal health burden

The global disease burden is one in every 127 people

3 min readUpdated: Dec 20, 2024 02:39 PM IST

Dr Archana Kadam, consultant developmental paediatrician, KEM Hospital, Pune says, “According to data from the Indian Journal of Paediatrics, around 1.12 per 100 children, aged between two and nine, that is 1 in every 68 children, is affected by autism here.”

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ranked in the top ten causes of non-fatal health burden among young people below 20, says a new study from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors (GBD), 2021, published in The Lancet Psychiatry. This means one in every 127 people (61.8 million individuals) was estimated to be on the autism spectrum globally.

Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental condition characterised by persistent difficulties in social communication and interaction, challenges related to sensory processing, repetitive behaviours, interests or activities and in some instances, intellectual disability, all of which occur at varying levels of severity.

While there is a geographical variation in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder, India too makes up a major portion of global prevalence. “According to data from the Indian Journal of Paediatrics, around 1.12 per 100 children, aged between two and nine, that is 1 in every 68 children, is affected by autism here,” says Dr Archana Kadam, consultant developmental paediatrician, KEM Hospital, Pune.

WHY IS THE STUDY SIGNIFICANT?

The numbers emphasise the need for early detection, disease management and developmental support for people with autism spectrum disorder. The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) advocates universal screening for the condition at 18 months and 24-30 months. “It also becomes vital to ensure the screening of all children across the country through frontline workers, with a simple, easy-to-administer, validated tool, and refer those identified through screening for detailed diagnostic assessment and early intervention. This is known to optimise the developmental outcomes,” says Dr Kadam.

Early diagnosis has long-term benefits. It improves communication, social skills and behaviour among children. They have better cognitive performance and can even be mainstreamed in their educative years. Early diagnosis can help families access support and educational services, which can reduce parental stress. Besides early diagnosis can help children become more independent as adults.

WHAT ABOUT AUTISTIC ADULTS?

Most studies on the autism spectrum have been done on children and adolescents, leaving a gap in our understanding of the autism spectrum in adults, according to the Lancet report. “Changes in the burden of autism spectrum disorder across ages highlight several considerations for how mental health services can better tailor the support available for autistic people. Given the health burden of autistic spectrum disorder estimated during adulthood, autistic adults could benefit from programmes enhancing independence, such as life skills and employment training, but more research is required to identify the full range of effective services during adulthood,” the authors said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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