The effect of healthy nutrition intervention on the quality of life of children with autism spectrum disorder

This study was planned and conducted to determine the effect of healthy nutrition intervention on the quality of life in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the last six months. Forty-five children aged 3-6 (15 intervention with ASD, 15 control with ASD, and 15 healthy control) who applied to Ankara University Autism Intervention and Research Center and their parents were included in the study. Parents of children in the intervention group with ASD were given healthy nutrition education for 16 weeks, but no education was given to the other groups. Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale (BPFAS) to determine children's eating behaviors, Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) to evaluate children's sleep habits and quality, Quality of Life in Autism Questionnaire -Parent Version (QOLA-P) to evaluate the quality of life of parents of children with ASD were asked to parents. Children's physical activity status, screen exposure, food consumption frequency and amount, food consumption records, and some anthropometric measurements (body weight and height measurements) were recorded at the beginning of the study and at the end of 16 weeks. The data were evaluated using the SPSS package program. Of the children participating in the study, 73.3% were boys and 26.7% were girls. At the end of the study, the frequency of physical activity of children in the intervention group with ASD increased (p<0.05), their screen exposure decreased, the BPFAS total score, the total number of problems and the CSHQ score decreased (p<0.05); QOLA-P score increased (p>0.05). The frequency of egg, oilseed, fresh fruit, and tea consumption in the intervention group with ASD increased; the frequency of consumption of cream cheese, packaged fruit juices, carbonated drinks, salami, hot dogs, sausage, pastrami, butter, sugar, honey, jam, molasses, and packaged products has decreased. In the intervention group with ASD, the amount of consumption of yoghurt, white cheese, meat, eggs, oilseeds (hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, almonds), vegetables, and fresh fruits increased significantly (p<0.05). At the end of the study, while the amount of carbohydrates consumed by the intervention group with ASD decreased; Intakes of protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc increased significantly (p<0.05). As a result, the nutrition education given to the parents of children diagnosed with ASD had positive effects on the children's nutritional habits, eating behaviors, sleep habits, and quality of life. It is thought that providing regular nutrition education to parents of children with ASD will be beneficial for both parents and children in ASD management.