Comparison of Eating Behaviours, Anthropometric Measures, and Malnutrition Risk in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities

Purpose This study examined differences in eating behaviours, anthropometric indicators, and malnutrition risk among children aged 5-16 years with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD), including Down syndrome, developmental language disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods This study was carried out using a cross-sectional design and included 220 children attending special education and rehabilitation centres: 97 autistic children (girls: 26, boys: 71) and 123 children with other developmental disabilities (DD; girls: 44, boys: 79). The DD group comprised children with Down syndrome (n = 52, 42.3%), developmental language disorder (n = 58, 47.2%), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 13, 10.6%). Results Autistic children differed from children with other developmental disabilities in both growth patterns and eating behaviour profiles. Height-for-age z-scores were higher in children with ASD than in those with Down syndrome (DS) and developmental language disorder (DLD) (p=.01). Autistic children showed higher Food Fussiness scores than children with DS (p<.05). Associations between eating behaviours and BMI-for-age varied according to diagnostic group (all interaction p<.05). In other developmental disability groups, eating behaviours also varied according to BMI-for-age categories and malnutrition risk (p<.05). Among autistic children, malnutrition risk was associated with higher Food Responsiveness and Slowness in Eating scores (p<.05). Conclusion This study showed that eating behaviours, anthropometric measurements, and malnutrition risk vary among children with ASD and diagnostically distinct developmental disability subgroups, underscoring the importance of individualised, diagnosis-informed nutritional assessment and monitoring.