Calcium and Vitamin D Intake of Boys Who Have Autism
Abstract
Objective. To determine the calcium and vitamin D intake of boys with autism ages 7 to 12 years and to compare these intakes with the dietary reference intake (DRI). Design. This study is a cross-sectional design using data obtained from a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire that assesses daily calcium and vitamin D intake. Subjects. Subjects were recruited through the Autism Society of America. Forty-seven parents or caretakers of eligible subjects were included. Twenty-two of the subjects were boys with autism ages 7 to 8, and 25 of the subjects were boys with autism ages 9 to 12. Results. Seventeen out of 22 boys with autism ages 7 to 8 consumed significantly less calcium (P = .0085) and vitamin D (P = .0085) than the age-appropriate DRI. Twenty-three out of 25 boys with autism ages 9 to 12 consumed significantly less calcium than the DRI levels (P = .0001). Twenty-one out of 25 boys with autism ages 9 to 12 also consumed significantly less vitamin D than the age-appropriate DRI levels (P = .0045). Conclusion. Boys with autism ages 7 to 12 may be at higher risk for calcium and vitamin D deficiencies. These children would likely benefit from the services of a registered dietitian to prevent clinical manifestations of such deficiencies. © 2013 The Author(s).
Publication Title
Infant, Child, and Adolescent Nutrition
Recommended Citation
Williams-Hooker, R., George, E., Levy, M., Morgan, C., Smith, T., & Bittle, J. (2013). Calcium and Vitamin D Intake of Boys Who Have Autism. Infant, Child, and Adolescent Nutrition, 5 (2), 113-117. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941406413478167
