Multicomponent Nutritional Support for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Pilot Study in Vietnam

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nutrition
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
• Global Health Interventions

Background:

• Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often face significant food selectivity and micronutrient deficiencies, negatively impacting their growth and overall nutritional status.
• Limited evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of integrated nutritional interventions for ASD in resource-constrained environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of a 12-week multicomponent nutritional intervention for children with ASD in Vietnam.
• To assess preliminary pre-post changes in nutritional status, feeding behaviors, and biomarkers among these children.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory single-arm pilot study involved 56 children with ASD (mean age 59.0 months) in Vietnam.
• The intervention included caregiver education, dietary counseling, and multi-micronutrient supplementation over 12 weeks.
• Assessments included anthropometrics, biochemical markers, feeding behaviors, and dietary intake, analyzed using paired statistical tests and regression.

Main Results:

• The study achieved a 100% completion rate, demonstrating high feasibility.
• Significant improvements were observed in Weight-for-Age Z-score (WAZ), Height-for-Age Z-score (HAZ), and Body Mass Index-for-Age Z-score (BAZ) (p < 0.001).
• Key biomarkers like serum zinc, ferritin, and hemoglobin increased significantly (p ≤ 0.002), alongside enhanced feeding behaviors and nutrient intake.

Conclusions:

• A community-based, multicomponent nutritional intervention is feasible for children with ASD in resource-limited settings.
• The intervention demonstrated short-term benefits in feeding behaviors, dietary intake, biomarkers, and growth parameters.
• Further evaluation through randomized controlled trials is warranted to confirm these findings.