The Relationship Between Nutrition-Physical Activity Behaviors of Autistic Children with Their Families and Children's Obesity Levels During Covid Pandemic.
Umran Cevik Guner U, Bilkay İrem
PMID 36462114WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of children with severe autism reported lower family nutrition and activity scores than those with atypical autism.
Regularly monitoring the child's height and weight was linked to higher scores. However, neither family habits nor mealtime behaviors correlated with the children's actual BMI before or during the pandemic.
Key findings
01Parents of children with severe autism had significantly lower Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Scale (FNPAS) scores compared to parents of children with atypical autism.
02Parents who regularly monitored their children's height and weight had significantly higher FNPAS scores than those who did not.
03There was no significant relationship between parents' FNPAS scores or children's mealtime behaviors (BAMBI) and the children's BMI values before or during the pandemic.
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 sample was recruited via social media, which may bias results toward parents who are more engaged or have specific views. The study used the FNPAS, a tool developed for typically developing children, not specifically validated for autism. BMI values were reported by parents, not measured by health professionals, introducing potential inaccuracies. The cross-sectional design cannot determine if family habits caused weight changes or vice versa.
Declared interests
The paper does not declare any conflicts of interest or funding sources.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that improving family nutrition and activity scores will reduce a child's obesity. The study found no significant relationship between these family behavior scores and the children's actual BMI.