Many children on the autism spectrum will only eat something if it is presented each time in the same type of plate or container. Some extremely selective kids will want “perfect” uniformity of their food and will refuse to eat if they detect even the slightest change.
It's not uncommon for individuals with ADHD and autism to prefer to eat the same food—multiple times a day sometimes—for extended periods. Why? Because it works! And we usually find some comfort in it, which is why many neurodiverse individuals call them their 'safe foods'.
Autism-related sensory aversions are another common reason for eating problems. As you may well know, another common symptom of autism is an insistence on “sameness.” This can cause extreme anxiety when the individual is presented with new foods.
Third, many people affected by autism experience what we call hyperphagia. This is an intense desire to eat that goes beyond true hunger. Given unchecked access to food, someone with hyperphagia may eat almost constantly.
Atypical eating behaviours have been recognised as common in autism. Such food behaviours can include very limited food preferences, hypersensitivity to food textures or temperatures, and pocketing food without swallowing.
Research also tells us that many individuals with autism tend to have strong preferences for carbohydrates and processed foods, while rejecting fruits and vegetables. This, too, may reflect an aversion to strong tastes and textures.
Causes of overeating in autistic children and teenagers include habits, obsessions, unpredictable mealtimes, sensory sensitivities and emotions. It can help to keep snack foods out of reach or sight, replace snacks with other activities, and aim for predictable meals.
Many children on the autism spectrum will only eat something if it is presented each time in the same type of plate or container. Some extremely selective kids will want “perfect” uniformity of their food and will refuse to eat if they detect even the slightest change.
Many autistic people struggle with interoception. This means that they have a difficult time feeling and interpreting their body's signals. This connects with disordered eating behavior because it means they may miss their body's cues that they are hungry or full.
Eating together with other people is a common activity to socialize and feel a sense of belonging. But autistic adults often prefer to eat alone, though they have a desire to socialize.
If you have a picky eater with autism, know that you're not alone. A recent review of scientific studies found that children with autism are five times more likely to have mealtime challenges such as extremely narrow food selections, ritualistic eating behaviors (e.g. no foods can touch) and meal-related tantrums.
Kids with autism can be extremely selective when it comes to eating. An estimated 46–89% of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have feeding problems. ASD children struggle with sensory defensiveness, a need for routine and sameness, and visual overstimulation which makes expanding the palate difficult.
Children with autism — and the parents who feed them — often face significant distress around mealtime. In fact, between 50% and 89% of kids with autism have some food selectivity. The end result: They tend to eat far fewer dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains than typical children.
Many autistic people experience hypersensitivity to bright lights or certain light wavelengths (e.g., LED or fluorescent lights). Certain sounds, smells, textures and tastes can also be overwhelming. This can result in sensory avoidance – trying to get away from stimuli that most people can easily tune out.
Many adults on the spectrum struggle with food and cooking because of sensory stimuli, extreme sensitivity to change, and a strong preference for a narrow selection of ingredients. Research shows that individuals with autism tend to favor processed foods and carbohydrates.
If you're exhausted or bored with food, you often end up reaching for the same thing out of convenience because you're too tired to make yet another decision that day." Eating the same foods gives people a sense of control during a time when the world feels very unpredictable and chaotic.
Although fatigue and burnout can happen to anyone, autistic people are more likely to be affected by this. It is often the result of doing more than you can cope with for too long and can be an immediate response to something, or be caused by a build up of things over time.
Another study found that children with autism are up to 41% more likely to develop obesity. Of these children, those at the highest risk are girls, nonwhite children, and older children. Within the study, the prevalence of obesity was 22.2%.
If you or a loved one has ASD, paying close attention to the foods being consumed is particularly important. For our patients with autism, we often recommend an elimination diet—eliminating gluten, dairy, sugar, corn, soy, and other categories of potentially allergenic foods for one month.
People with autism often experience love differently from neurotypical people. Their expression of love is less straightforward, as they tend to rely heavily on non-verbal communication. This can mean that those who are neurotypical may find it difficult to interpret the signs of affection.
Hoarding and self-injurious behaviors are relatively common in autism, but knowledge about their expressions in adulthood is scarce.
People with autism can experience extreme emotions. They may seem to overreact to certain situations or under-react in others. When something unpredictable occurs, it can be hard for an autistic person to keep their emotions in check.
Many autistic people have intense and highly-focused interests, often from a fairly young age. These can change over time or be lifelong. It can be art, music, gardening, animals, postcodes or numbers. For many younger children it's Thomas the Tank Engine, dinosaurs or particular cartoon characters.
Autistic individuals may have highly selective eating requirements or be particularly sensitive to the textures, look, smell or sound of foods, which can lead to food aversions. The social aspects of eating (such as sitting at a table with others, waiting until others are finished) can also be challenging.