title: Child Eating Behaviors and Caregiver Feeding Practices in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study compared children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically developing children (TDC) on weight-related outcomes and caregiver-reported child eating behaviors and feeding practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study. Caregivers of 25 children with ASD and 30 TDC, ages 4-6.
  
  
  METHODS
  Caregivers completed validated questionnaires that assessed child eating behaviors and feeding practices. Children's height, weight, and waist circumference were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with ASD, when compared to TDC, showed significantly greater abdominal waist circumferences (p = .01) and waist-to-height ratios (p < .001). Children with ASD with atypical oral sensory sensitivity exhibited greater food avoidance behaviors, including reluctance to eat novel foods (p = .004), being selective about the range of foods they accept (p = .03), and undereating due to negative emotions (p = .02), than children with ASD with typical oral sensory sensitivity. Caregivers of children with ASD with atypical oral sensory sensitivity reported using food to regulate negative child emotions to a greater extent than caregivers of children with typical oral sensory sensitivity (p = .02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with ASD, especially those with atypical oral sensory sensitivity, are at increased risk for food avoidance behaviors and may require additional support in several feeding domains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Tanja V E
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Kral
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Margaret C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Souders
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Victoria H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Tompkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Adriane M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Remiker
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Whitney T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.|Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pinto-Martin
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: autism spectrum disorders; caregiver feeding practices; eating behavior; obesity