Desafios alimentares e estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes com TEA

Abstract

Objective: To Present the available scientific evidence on the dietary challenges and nutritional status of children and adolescents with ASD. Research method: A bibliographic review was carried out, based on articles published in the last 5 years (2018 to 2023) and indexed in the following databases PubMed, SciELO and Medline. Clinical studies, observational studies, systematic reviews were included, and experimental studies on animals, course completion works, dissertations and theses were excluded. The studies analyzed included children and/or adolescents with ASD, and the research was carried out independently by two researchers. The search period took place from October to November 2023, using language restrictions for English and Portuguese. Results: It was identified in studies that children with ASD, when compared to children with typical development, present more disruptive behaviors, including eating and consuming a limited variety of foods. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder affects most preschool-aged children. Children with ASD often have deficiencies in essential nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals. Final considerations: A relevant prevalence of eating disorders was found in children and adolescents with ASD, as well as behavioral problems at meal times and micronutrient deficiencies. Nutritional monitoring is necessary to identify nutritional risks and outline strategies to improve food consumption, and consequently the nutritional profile of these individuals.