Food repertoire history in children with autism spectrum disorder in Japan

• Published in: Pediatrics international Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 342 - 346
• Main Authors: Tanoue, Koji, Takamasu, Tetsuya, Matsui, Kiyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Age Factors; Anxiety; Autism; autism spectrum disorder; Autism Spectrum Disorder - psychology; Autistic children; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Children with disabilities; Diet; Diet - psychology; Diet Surveys; education; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Food; Food Preferences - psychology; Food selection; food selectivity; Gastroenteritis; Humans; infection; Infections; Japan; Male; nutrition; Pediatrics; Respiratory tract; Respiratory tract diseases; Retrospective Studies; Selectivity; Young Adult; infection; nutrition; education; autism spectrum disorder; food selectivity
• DOI: 10.1111/ped.13160
• ISSN: 1328-8067

Background Food selectivity is commonly reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of this study was to investigate eating habit history in children with ASD. Methods We analyzed 3 day food records completed by the parents and assessed how many unique foods each child consumed. The parents were also interviewed about their child's diet of complementary (i.e. transition) foods and estimated food repertoire at the ages of 3, 6, 12 and 18 years. Results A total of 28 participants were enrolled in this study. Some participants had ongoing changes in food repertoire from the age of 3 years onward. In two cases, although the number of foods consumed at age 3 years was approximately 50, this decreased markedly, becoming severely limited, by age 5 years. One of the reasons for diminished repertoire was infection, such as acute gastroenteritis and upper respiratory tract infection. In contrast, five patients had a severely limited food repertoire at age 3 years, which later increased to 15 or more. Four patients had good opportunity at school to increase their food repertoire. Conclusions Diet history varied and changed in response to new opportunities, education and/or the environment. In some cases the number of foods consumed decreased gradually due to anxiety and stress, resulting in a severely limited food repertoire. Some patients had good opportunities to increase their repertoire at school. If an effective program in the early years achieves progress, the eating habits of children with ASD might be changed.