Nutritional behaviours, feeding problems and meal patterns of children diagnosed with autism Spectrum disorder: A cross-sectional study

Various nutritional problems are experienced in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and it is important to evaluate the severity of feeding problems as it may affect the prognosis. This study was conducted to determine the nutritional behaviours, feeding problems, and meal patterns of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It was conducted with 50 children with ASD and 50 healthy children aged between 3-11 years. Nutritional behaviours, feeding problems, and meal patterns were assessed using a questionnaire, and the Brief Autism Mealtime Behaviour Inventory (BAMBI) was employed to evaluate children's mealtime behaviour and feeding problems. It was determined that children with ASD were similar to their healthy peers in terms of meal patterns and frequency, and 92.0% of them had regular meals. The total number of daily meals (main and snack) was 4.9±0.89. It was found that half of the children with ASD had a normal appetite, 58.0% had foods they did not consume, and 54.0% had a crying fit/tantrum when they were not allowed to eat their favorite food. The total BAMBI score of the children with ASD was found to be 49.0±8.87. The presence of unconsumed foods was encountered more frequently in children with ASD (p<0.05), and it was determined that 71.4% of children with ASD aged 5-7 years and 66.7% of children with ASD aged eight years and above had nutritional problems. Feeding problems, food refusal, food obsession/selectivity, crying fits/tantrums during eating were more common in children with ASD compared to their healthy peers (p<0.05). Probiotics, zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium and vitamin B12 supplements are more common in children with ASD (p<0.05). In conclusion, the findings of our study confirm the seriousness of nutritional problems in children with ASD.