Dietary Patterns of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study Based in Egypt

Nagwa Meguid; Mona Anwar; Safaa Zaki; Wafaa Kandeel; Nihad Ahmed; Ihab Tewfik

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2015.051

Authors

Nagwa Meguid National Research Centre, Research on Children with Special Needs Department, Giza
Mona Anwar National Research Centre, Research on Children with Special Needs Department, Giza
Safaa Zaki National Research Centre, Child Health Department, Giza
Wafaa Kandeel National Research Centre, Biological Anthropology Department, Giza
Nihad Ahmed National Research Centre, Food Science and Nutrition Department, Giza
Ihab Tewfik Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Westminster, Life Science Department, London

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2015.051

Keywords:

Autistic Children, anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, micronutrients, Egyptian

Abstract

AIM: In the hope to assist in tailoring individualized nutritional therapy, this study aimed to assess the nutritional status of autistic children.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 80 autistic children, divided into two groups: group 1 (aged 3- 5 years) and group 2 (aged 6-9 years). Diagnosis was performed based on the criteria for autistic disorder as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised and Autism Rating Scale.

RESULTS: Socio-demographic data, anthropometric measurements and dietary intake patterns were recorded using a validated questionnaire. The daily intakes of calories and nutrients were converted to percentages of the Recommended Dietary Allowance or Dietary Reference Intake based on age- and gender-normalized DRIs. Plotting on the Egyptian sex-specific growth chart, BMI-z scores of both age groups were slightly overweight. Autistic children suffered inadequate intake of some micronutrients such as vitamin D and C, calcium, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron, some deficiencies were highly significant especially at older age.

CONCLUSIONS: Tailoring a specially designed balanced diet with appropriate micronutrient supplementation may ameliorate the severity of autism symptoms and related abnormal behaviours.

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