Dietary intake of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and normal to High Body Mass Index (BMI)

Dietary intake of 117 male adolescents (aged 12 to 18 years, residing in Istanbul, Turkey) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and classified as normal (n=39), overweight (n=39) and obese (n=39) according to BMI-for-age were assessed. Anthropometric measurements were taken and participants were asked to complete a general questionnaire, feeding assessment survey and three-day food records. Daily intakes of energy and nutrients were calculated using food records. The EAR-cut point method was used to investigate the prevalence of inadequacy and potential risk of excess. Dietary fibre, calcium, zinc and folate intake of many participants were below the DRI value. Prevalence of inadequacy for iron, vitamin A, B6 and C were lower than these nutrients. Daily consumption of sodium and cholesterol was higher than the recommendations. Percent DRI value for energy differed significantly in each BMI-for-age group (p<0.05) and was highest in the obese category. This category also had higher %DRI values for most vitamins and minerals. Percent energy values provided by macronutrients (AMDR) were not significantly different from each other across BMI-for-age categories and remained within the reference values.