ANIL KUMAR KABISATAPATHY , DR AMITABH KISHOR DWIVEDI
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18564798Background: Food selectivity is a common feeding disorder in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) which can result in nutritional malnutrition and poor dietary diversity. Sensory processing disorders is often suggested as a basic formula, but there is still confusion about correlation of food selectivity with more general clinical features - behaviour, symptom severity and cognitive ability.
Methodology: A quantitative observational study carried out among 292 children with ASD ranging in age from 2 to 14 years of age of Bhubaneswar using snow ball. Carers were asked to complete standardised assessments including Food Preference Inventory (FPI) to assess dietary selectivity, Short Sensory Profile (SSP) to assess sensory irregularities and Aberrant Behaviour Checklist (ABC) to assess maladaptive behaviour. Descriptive statistics was conductred for profiling of sample and test for normality (shapiro wik) used. Food selection variable distribution patterns Bivariate correlations and linear regression analysis was done to establish sensory determinism of food selectivity and food acceptance variables.
Results: Significant relationships were found between sensory sensitivity and food acceptance outcomes with taste/olfactory sensory sensitivity showing the strongest relationships between sensory sensitivity and food acceptance across vegetable, protein, fruit and mixed food acceptance (p < 0.001). Regression models showed that sensory domains, particularly tactile and taste/olfactory sensitivity were significant predictors of food selectivity but the effect of behavioural components were weaker or not significant.
Conclusion: Food selectivity in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is sensory based to a large extent and drop the hint on the need for sensory informed assessment and special feeding interventions to increase dietary diversity and nutritional intake.
