Prospective relationship between autistic traits and nutrient intakes among Japanese children: Results of the Shika study

Increased food selectivity among children with autism spectrum disorder may lead to nutritional inadequacy. We designed this study to examine the prospective relationship between autistic traits in children and subsequent nutrient intake in later childhood and whether this relationship changes over time. We utilized longitudinal data obtained at two time points from the Shika study, an ongoing population-based study conducted in a rural area of Japan. Participants were 759 Japanese children aged between 7 and 12 years at baseline and between 10 and 15 years in the follow-up. The results obtained showed relatively lower intakes of sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12 among children with than without autistic traits. Interactions were observed among autistic traits and time points for iron, vitamin B2, folic acid, and pantothenic acid. The results of this study suggest the importance of screening the nutrient intake of children with autistic traits across childhood in order to reduce the risk of restricted intake. Lay Abstract It is known about food selectivity among children with autism spectrum disorder. However, the nutritional inadequacy among children with ASD is not clear. Especially, long-term evaluation has not been studied. We examined the prospective relationship between autistic traits in children and subsequent nutrient intake in later childhood. We utilized data obtained at two time points from a study conducted in Japan. Participants were 759 Japanese children aged between 7 and 12 years at baseline and between 10 and 15 years in the follow-up. The results showed relatively lower intakes of sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12 among children with than without autistic traits. Relatively lower intake of minerals and vitamins in children with autistic traits is more evident in later childhood. The results suggest the importance of screening the nutrient intake of children with autistic traits across childhood.