Health Viewpoints

This Disease Has Soared 28x Since the 1960s, but Why?

Save
This Disease Has Soared 28x Since the 1960s, but Why?
Boys are four times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism. Scientists suspect that hormones may play a role. Shutterstock*
Joseph Mercola
Updated:
In the mid-1960s, the autism rate was 1 in 10,000. By 2012, it had risen to 1 in 88, then 1 in 68 as of 2016, and now, we’re looking at an autism rate of 1 in 44 8-year-olds, although rates vary widely from state to state.4

In California, where incidence is the highest, 1 in 26 8-year-olds has a diagnosis of autism. Missouri, which has the lowest incidence, has a rate of 1 in 60. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the dramatic uptick is in part due to improved and more comprehensive identification and diagnosis.

Joseph Mercola
Joseph Mercola
Author
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of Mercola.com. An osteopathic physician, best-selling author, and recipient of multiple awards in the field of natural health, his primary vision is to change the modern health paradigm by providing people with a valuable resource to help them take control of their health.
Related Topics