New research says obesity during pregnancy might increase chances for having a child with autism.

It's among the first studies linking the two. It doesn't prove obesity causes autism, but the authors say their results raise public health concerns because of the high level of obesity in the U.S.

The study involved about 1,000 California children, ages 2 to 5. Results are being released online today in the journal Pediatrics.

Previous research has linked obesity during pregnancy with stillbirths, preterm births and some birth defects.

The authors are with the University of California, Davis. They say the results add yet another incentive for maintaining a healthy weight.