Nutrient imbalance and obesity in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Introduction

children with ASD have a higher percentage of obesity compared to neurotypical children of the same age. Diet problems can lead to excesses or deficiencies in the consumption of macro and micronutrients.

Objectives

to rigorously and serially evaluate the anthropometric and dietary data of ASD patients of preschool and school age over a period of 6 months.

Methods

a longitudinal study that included 34 children diagnosed with ASD of both sexes, from 4 to 11 years of age, recruited at convenience in the Mental Health Service of the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico City. The variables considered were: age, body mass index with Z-score and intake of macro and micronutrients.

Results

at the end of the follow-up, 25 of 34 patients concluded the study and their nutritional status showed changes that did not have statistical significance, where 4 % were underweight, 56 % were normal weight, 12 % were overweight and 28 % were obese. Macronutrients, such as energy and fiber, and micronutrients, such as zinc, vitamin D, omega-3 and omega-6, and tryptophan, showed imbalances in consumption by patients without statistical significant changes in time.

Conclusions

there is an imbalance in the consumption of macro and micronutrients in children with ASD and the prevalence of obesity is higher compared to other studies.