Dietary intake in children on the autism spectrum is altered and linked to differences in autistic traits and sensory processing styles.
Nisha E Mathew, Kylie-Ann Mallitt, Anne Masi and 4 others
PMID 36054787WHAT IT FOUND
Children with autism ate lower-quality diets than their siblings and unrelated peers, with less variety and more nutrient-poor foods.
However, siblings shared some poor habits, and sensory hypersensitivity or seeking was linked to healthier eating, suggesting family and sensory factors drive diet more than diagnosis alone.
Key findings
01Children on the autism spectrum had significantly lower overall diet quality and food variety scores compared to both non-autistic siblings and unrelated controls.
02Dietary patterns like high energy-dense nutrient-poor food intake were also seen in non-autistic siblings, suggesting family environment or shared traits rather than autism alone drive these differences.
03Within the autism group, sensory hypersensitivity and sensory seeking were associated with higher diet quality and fruit consumption, while higher autism traits were linked to lower BMI and higher carbohydrate intake.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot determine whether autism traits or sensory profiles cause dietary differences or if diet influences behavior. Dietary intake was self-reported via food frequency questionnaires, which can overestimate nutrient intake and may not accurately reflect recent changes in diet, especially in toddlers. Cultural background was not adequately captured, limiting the ability to control for cultural influences on food choices. The sample had a high male-to-female ratio in the autism group, reflecting diagnostic biases, which may limit generalizability to girls with ASD. The study excluded children on prescription elimination diets or vegetarian/vegan diets, potentially missing a subset of children with significant dietary restrictions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The work was supported by funding from the Sydney Partnership for Health Education Research and Enterprise, the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, the Schizophrenia Research Institute, Neuroscience Research Australia, and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that poor diet quality is unique to children with autism. The study found that non-autistic siblings in the same households shared similar high intakes of energy-dense nutrient-poor foods and low dairy consumption, indicating that family environment and shared traits play a major role in dietary patterns.