Association between eating pattern and food neophobia in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Parents' perceptions

Roosje R. Oewen (Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Prof Dr Moestopo (B) University, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Witriana Latifa (Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Prof Dr Moestopo (B) University, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Rini Triani (Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Prof Dr Moestopo (B) University, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Ika Anisyah (Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Prof Dr Moestopo (B) University, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Syakriani Syahrir (Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia)

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science
Vol. 7 No. 3 (2022): (Available online: 1 December 2022)

Objective: To explain the correlation between cariogenic (high sugar diet) with Food Neophobia (FN) in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children. Material and Methods: This type of research is analytically observational with a cross-sectional design. Sampling technique purposive sampling, number of samples 65 respondents of parents/caregivers in LRD community members of suar autism. Data collection with a questionnaire for five eating patterns and FN three questions in the form of a Google Form. The data were analyzed descriptively, and the spearman rank correlation test was used to analyze the difference between diet and FN. Results: Children consume one to two spoons of sugar per day 95.4%; like sweet food 80%, sweet food between meals 80%; soft drinks 49.2%; non-sweet snacks 56.9%. Based on the category of the frequency distribution of neophobia food levels in children with ASD were light 32.31%, moderate 30.77%, and heavy 36.92%. Spearman rank correlation test r=0.06 p>0.05 was 0.36%. Conclusion: This research shows that diet pattern has a very low association with FN in children with autism spectrum disease.