Eating Behaviours, Diet and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Completed

• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Registration Number: NCT03270306
• Lead Sponsor: Chinese University of Hong Kong

Brief Summary

This case-control study aims to compare the differences in eating behaviours, nutritional status, diet quality and gastrointestinal (GI) health between Chinese children aged 3-6 years with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (n=65) and typically developing children (TDC) (n=65).

Detailed Description

Objective: To compare the differences in eating behaviours, nutritional status, diet quality and gastrointestinal (GI) health between Chinese children aged 3-6 years with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically developing children (TDC).

Hypotheses:

1. Children with ASD will show more problematic mealtime behaviours as represented by higher scores of 'limited variety' and 'food refusal' domains of the BAMBI compared to typically developing children

2. Children with ASD will have more GI symptoms, in particular constipation and diarrhea compared to typically developing children

3. Children with ASD will have a lower ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes than the typical control children

4. Children with ASD will have less desirable diet quality in terms of lower dietary index, lower dietary diversity score and lower intake of fibre, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin C compared to typically developing children

5. A better diet quality will be associated with a more favourable gut microbial composition in children with and without ASD

Design and subjects: Case-control study including 65 families with children of ASD and 65 families with TDC matched by child's age and sex.

Outcomes: The primary outcomes will be the difference in mean scores of 'limited variety' and 'food refusal' domains of the Chinese version of BAMBI between children with ASD and typically developing children. The secondary outcomes will be the difference in the occurrence of GI symptoms in terms of constipation and diarrhea, as well as the difference in the gut microbiota profile in terms of the Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio between children with ASD and typically developing children. The tertiary outcome will be the difference in the diet quality in terms of lower dietary index, lower dietary diversity score and lower intake of fibre, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin C in children with ASD and typically developing children.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2017-08-29
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-08-30
• Study First Posted: 2017-09-01
• Study Start: 2017-11-04
• Primary Completion: 2019-05-31
• Study Completion: 2019-05-31
• Status Verified: 2019-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-07-28
• Last Update Posted: 2019-07-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 130

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

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Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

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Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mealtime behaviours	baseline	Mealtime behaviours measured using the Chinese version of the Brief Autism Mealtime Behaviour Inventory

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Gastrointestinal symptoms	baseline	Gastrointestinal symptoms measured using the Chinese version of the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms - Rome III (QPGS-RIII)
Gut microbiota profile	baseline	Gut microbiota profile measured using 16s sequencing

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Chinese University of Hong Kong; 🇨🇳 Hong Kong, China