Relationships between feeding problems, behavioral characteristics and nutritional quality in children with ASD.
In autistic kids, picky eating travels with sensory and repetitive behaviors, not social deficits, and it drags down nutrition.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team asked parents about their autistic child’s eating habits and daily behaviors.
They wanted to know if kids who eat poorly also act out more or miss key nutrients.
The study looked inside the autism group only, not compared to typical kids.
What they found
Children who refused foods or ate the same items every day showed more repetitive, sensory, and mood problems.
These feeding issues did not link to language delay or social scores.
Worse feeding also meant lower vitamin and mineral intake.
How this fits with other research
Leader et al. (2020) surveyed 136 families and found 84% of autistic kids are selective eaters, backing up the high numbers seen here.
Laugeson et al. (2014) tracked the same kids for 20 months and showed food pickiness stayed stable when sensory over-responsivity was high, supporting the sensory link.
Martins et al. (2008) seems to disagree: they found only tiny picky-eating differences between autistic and typical kids. The clash fades when you see they compared groups, while R et al. looked only within autism, so both can be true.
Liu et al. (2025) added that executive-function trouble may sit between repetitive behaviors and eating patterns, giving a possible brain route for the links found here.
Why it matters
If a child with autism fights meals, first screen for sensory defensiveness and repetitive rituals, not just social skills. Target sensory desensitization and flexible food routines before you chase language gains. Better feeding today can mean fewer nutrient gaps and calmer homes tomorrow.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have co-occurring feeding problems. However, there is limited knowledge about how these feeding habits are related to other behavioral characteristics ubiqitious in ASD. In a relatively large sample of 256 children with ASD, ages 2-11, we examined the relationships between feeding and mealtime behaviors and social, communication, and cognitive levels as well repetitive and ritualistic behaviors, sensory behaviors, and externalizing and internalizing behaviors. Finally, we examined whether feeding habits were predictive of nutritional adequacy. In this sample, we found strong associations between parent reported feeding habits and (1) repetitive and ritualistic behaviors, (2) sensory features, and (3) externalizing and internalizing behavior. There was a lack of association between feeding behaviors and the social and communication deficits of ASD and cognitive levels. Increases in the degree of problematic feeding behaviors predicted decrements in nutritional adequacy.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2014 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2095-9