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Table 1 Demographic characteristics of the children with ASD and age-matched TD children

From: Dietary intake and gastrointestinal symptoms are altered in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: the relative contribution of autism-linked traits

Variables

ASD (n = 121)

TD (n = 121)

P value

Effect size

Child characteristics

    

Age, median (IQR), y

6.3 (4.8, 7.3)

6.8 (3.6, 7.9)

0.810

0.016

Sex, n (%)

    

Male

98 (81)

82 (67.8)

0.018

0.152

Female

23 (19)

39 (32.2)

  

Height, median (IQR), cm

118.6 (105, 127.9)

119.2 (100.1, 130)

0.864

0.011

Weight, median (IQR), kg

21.2 (16, 26.8)

21.2 (15, 26.6)

0.417

0.052

BMI, median (IQR), kg/m2

15.4 (14.4, 16.7)

15.3 (14.4, 16.3)

0.382

0.056

ASD symptom severitya, n (%)

    

Mild-to-moderate

98 (81)

NA

NA

NA

Severe

23 (19)

NA

NA

NA

Intellectual functioningb, n (%)

    

Normal

55 (45.5)

104 (86)

< 0.001

0.334

Borderline

14 (11.6)

12 (9.9)

  

Abnormal

52 (43)

5 (4.1)

  

Premature birth, n (%)

    

Yes

8 (6.6)

6 (5)

0.582

0.035

No

113 (93.4)

115 (95)

  

Birth mode, n (%)

    

Vaginal delivery

72 (59.5)

74 (61.2)

0.002

0.164

Elective caeserean section

21 (17.4)

37 (30.6)

  

Emergency caeserean section

28 (23.1)

10 (8.3)

  

Feeding patterns before 2 years of agec, n (%)

    

Breastfeeding

28 (23.1)

27 (22.3)

0.956

0.014

Mixed feeding

30 (24.8)

32 (26.4)

  

Artificial feeding

63 (52.1)

62 (51.2)

  

Birth order, n (%)

    

1

73 (60.3)

91 (75.2)

0.013

0.159

> 1

48 (39.7)

30 (24.8)

  

Sleep duration, median (IQR), hours/day

9.7 (9.1, 10.6)

10.3 (9.4, 11.1)

0.001

0.207

SB, median (IQR), hours/d

2.7 (1.3, 4.1)

3.6 (1.0, 5.6)

0.065

0.118

MVPA, median (IQR), hours/d

0.7 (0.3, 1.1)

0.8 (0.4, 1.4)

0.240

0.076

Walking, median (IQR), hours/d

0.5 (0.3, 1.0)

0.5 (0.2, 0.9)

0.476

0.046

Maternal Characteristics

    

Advanced maternal age, n (%)

    

Yes

7 (5.8)

10 (8.3)

0.450

0.049

No

114 (94.2)

111 (91.7)

  

Educational attainment, n (%)

    

College degree or below

67 (55.4)

37 (30.6)

< 0.001

0.250

Undergraduate degree or higher

54 (44.6)

84 (69.4)

  

Gestational hypertension, n (%)

    

Yes

2 (1.7)

2 (1.7)

1.000

0.000

No

119 (98.3)

119 (98.3)

  

Gestational diabetes mellitus, n (%)

    

Yes

21 (17.4)

10 (8.3)

0.034

0.136

No

100 (82.6)

111 (91.7)

  

Maternal obesity, n (%)

    

Yes

9 (7.4)

2 (1.7)

0.031

0.139

No

112 (92.6)

119 (98.3)

  

Family characteristics

    

Monthly per-capita income, n (%)

    

≤ 8,000 RMB

86 (71.1)

54 (44.6)

0.011

0.163

> 8,000 RMB

35 (28.9)

67 (55.4)

  

Parenting behaviord, n (%)

    

Support/engagement

110 (90.9)

113 (93.4)

0.473

0.046

Opposition/defiance

11 (9.1)

8 (6.6)

  
  1. a Evaluated by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). b Evaluated by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Forth Edition (WISC-IV) or Gesell developmental Schedules (GDS). c Longest sustained feeding patterns before 2 years of age. d Evaluated by the Parent Behavior Inventory (PBI). Effect size = Z/√(N) for Mann–Whitney U-tests, and effect size φ or Cramer-V for χ2 tests. ASD: autism spectrum disorder, TD: typically developing, IQR: interquartile range, BMI: body mass index, SB: sedentary behavior, MVPA: moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, RMB: Ren Min Bi (Chinese currency), NA: not applicable
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Nutrition Journal

ISSN: 1475-2891

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