The relationship between nutritional problems, eating behaviors, and diet quality in children with autism

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the current nutritional problems, eating behaviors, and diet quality of children with autism and to examine the relationship between eating behavior and diet quality. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 52 children aged 8-14 years with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Data were collected by using a questionnaire consisting of five sections (descriptive information form, anthropometric measurements, Screening Tool for Nutritional Problems (STEP), Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for Children and Adolescents (KIDMED), and Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (CTFEQ)). The significance level of statistical tests was accepted as p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of children was 11.52 +/- 2.73 years, 84.6% were male, and 21.2% were obese. Current nutritional issues were primarily behavioral disorders and nutritional skills-related. The highest score on the Three-Factor Eating Scale was in the uncontrolled eating sub-dimension (15.02 +/- 3.63). The mean score for children with autism was 5.79 +/- 1.87, with the majority (69.2%) moderately adhering to the Mediterranean diet. In the low adherence group, total Three-Factor Eating Scale score and uncontrolled eating sub-scale score were significantly higher than the moderate-high adherence group (p < 0.05). Although adherence to the Mediterranean diet increased as the frequency and severity of nutritional problems decreased according to the STEP, this difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our results show that children with autism are at risk for obesity. Identifying current nutritional problems, improving diet quality, and detecting and preventing unhealthy eating behaviors such as uncontrolled eating are important for the health of children with autism.