The effect of food selectivity on gastrointestinal symptoms and constipation in children with autism

This study was carried out to examine the effect of food selectivity, which is one of the nutritional behavior problems, on constipation and gastrointestinal system symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The data of the study were obtained by using Google forms with 105 parents who have a child between the ages of 4-10 and have autism spectrum disorder who volunteered to participate the study between August 2022 and November 2022 in Turkey. The demographic information and eating habits of the children were questioned in the questionnaire. Autism Meal Behavior Short Scale (BAMBI) was used to examine behavioral and nutritional problems specific to autism spectrum disorder, GIS symptom severity index was used to obtain information about gastrointestinal system (GIS) complaints, and Rome III diagnostic criteria for Functional Constipation were used to evaluate constipation. The children of 105 parents who participated in the study were between the ages of 4-10 and the mean age was 5±1.82 years. According to the GIS severity index, 41.0% of the children indicated the presence of constipation. A positive and weakly significant correlation was found between GIS severity index and BAMBI total score (r=0.353, p<0.01). In support of this, a positive and very weak correlation was found between limited food variety, which are BAMBI subgroups, and GIS severity index (r=0.196, p<0.05). A positive and weakly significant relationship was found between constipation, which is one of the sub-titles of GIS severity index, and GIS severity index score (r=0.291, p<0.01), but there was a negative and weakly significant relationship between constipation and Rome-III criteria-functional constipation. found (r=-0.226, p<0.05). No statistically significant relationship was found between Rome III criteria and limited food diversity and food rejection (p>0.05). As a result, it suggests the existence of a food selectivity problem in children with ASD. The relationship between nutritional problems such as restricted nutrition and food refusal brought about by food selectivity and gastrointestinal symptoms is emphasized. Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, food selectivity gastrointestinal system symptoms, constipation