Research Brief
Lessons in Adapting a Family-Based Nutrition Program for Children With Autism

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2021.09.003Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the adaptation and implementation of an existing, evidence-based nutrition program for children with autism and their parents.

Methods

Children aged 7–12 years with autism and their parent participated in 6 weekly sessions. Recruitment, intervention, and data collection took place in a community health center in an urban area.

Results

Of the 50 referred participants, 38% attended the first classes, and 26% completed the program. Families and staff expressed satisfaction; parents reported increased physical activity, fruit, and vegetable intake in their children. Parents also desired continued learning and individualized recommendations.

Conclusions and Implications

Adapting family-centered nutrition programs can positively influence diet behaviors in children with autism. As many children with autism battle with obesity, the findings from this pilot provide important insight into supporting these families and can further inform the development of evidence-based practices currently lacking for children with autism and their families.

Section snippets

INTRODUCTION

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common developmental disabilities in children, affecting approximately 1 in 54 children.1 Children living with ASD face lifelong challenges because of their unique needs, and these challenges are often combined with comorbidities such as anxiety, epilepsy/seizures, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.2 In low-income, urban communities, the management of complex health conditions can be especially

Setting and Sample

The intervention took place in a federally qualified health center, St. John's Well Child & Family Center, serving patients of all ages across Central and South Los Angeles. The health center treats > 25,000 patients with overweight or obesity, of whom 20% are children,35 and has a dedicated Center for Autism and Developmental Disorders (CADD). It is one of the only comprehensive programs in the region offering care to children and adolescents with developmental disabilities from low income

RESULTS

Over 8 months, 50 children were referred for eligibility screening and program enrollment. Of those referred, 13 (26%) attended orientation, 19 (38%) attended the first class, and 13 (26%) attended the minimum requirement of 3 classes. Of those that attended ≥ 3 classes, 100% completed all 6 class sessions. Families cited barriers of living in an urban area (eg, lack of transportation, proximity of program location) and child competing activities (eg, medical appointments, in-home behavioral

DISCUSSION

There is a paucity in the literature on the impact of adaptation of a healthy lifestyle curriculum to support families of children with ASD who struggle to maintain a healthy relationship with food.38,39 The findings from this pilot provide insight into the unique challenges of caring for these families and an opportunity to share lessons learned in the implementation of such a program. Despite a small sample size, feedback from both families and program staff was encouraging and indicated the

IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Despite these limitations, results from this pilot suggest the benefits of group-based weight management programming for children with ASD. Children with developmental disabilities, such as ASD, are often excluded from group education settings and intervention-based research. Research that explores new program models and how best to adapt programs for this population can help fill the gap in the literature and add to existing intervention therapies.51 Pilot programs like KNF4ALL may strengthen

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This project was supported by a grant from LA Care Health Plan to support projects that strengthen community health and fill gaps in health coverage for individuals with low income in Los Angeles County. This manuscript was supported by the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles Institute for Nursing and Interprofessional Research. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Institute for Nursing and Interprofessional Research.

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    Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.

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