First US study of autism in adults estimates 2.2% have autism spectrum disorder

(CNN) – The first US study of autism in adults estimates that 2.2% of Americans adults have an autism spectrum condition.

That adds up to 5.4 million people age 18 and older, or about 1 in 45 people, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.

“This is the first CDC study to provide estimates of the number of U.S. adults with autism and fills a gap in data on adults living with autism spectrum disorder in the United States because there is no existing surveillance system to collect this information,” the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities said in a statement.

“This information is important because ASD is a lifelong condition, and many adults with ASD need ongoing services and supports.”