Eating Problems in Autistic Females and Males: A Co-twin Control Study.

This study looked at eating difficulties in autistic teenagers and adults using twins as participants. It found that autistic people often have eating problems like being picky with food and being sensitive to sounds, textures, or other sensory aspects during meals. Autistic females seemed to have more eating difficulties overall and particularly struggled eating around other people. The research suggests that genes might influence both autism and eating problems together.

This co-twin control study examined eating problems in 192 adolescent and adult twins to investigate associations with autism and gender differences. The research found that autistic traits and autism diagnosis were linked to various eating difficulties, including selective eating and sensory sensitivity during meals. Female participants showed stronger associations between autistic traits and total eating problems, as well as greater difficulties eating in social contexts. However, when comparing identical twins (which controls for genetic and environmental factors), the association between autism and eating problems disappeared, suggesting genetic factors may underlie both conditions rather than autism directly causing eating problems.

Clinicians should routinely assess eating problems in autistic individuals, with particular attention to sensory sensitivities and social eating difficulties. Gender-specific approaches may be warranted, especially for autistic females who may experience more severe eating challenges.

Limited by self-reported eating problems rather than clinical assessment. The study design cannot establish causality. Sample characteristics and specific methodological details are not fully described in the abstract.

This study investigated the association between autism and self-reported eating problems and the influence of gender on the association, in a sample of adolescent and adult twins (N = 192). Autistic traits and autism diagnosis were associated with both total and specific eating problems, including selective eating and sensory sensitivity during mealtimes. Interaction effects indicated a stronger association between autistic traits and total eating problems in females, as well as more difficulties with eating in social contexts among autistic females. In within-pair analyses, where unmeasured confounders including genes and shared environment are implicitly controlled for, the association was lost within monozygotic pairs, which might further indicate a genetic influence on the relationship between autism and eating problems.