Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disability that is frequently associated with food refusal, limited food repertoire and high-frequency single food intake mainly among children with ASD. Provision of nutrition can be very challenging due to the fact of these behavioural problems, either for the parents or special educators. Healthy nutrition is associated with providing and consuming nutritious food with results being in a good state of health. Semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among 20 participants at a National Autism Centre to explore their understanding towards healthy nutrition. They were parents and special educators who were actively involved with children with ASD. A series of discussions were transcribed verbatim, and four researchers examined each transcript. Inductive analysis linking codes into main thematic categories was conducted using the constant comparison approach across the full data set. The outcome suggested that participants had limited knowledge relating to the proper dietary and nutritional needs of the children. The key messages from the discussion provide a foundation on the development of a nutrition education module which involves primary caretakers of children with ASD.

Background: There is limited information on the dietary intakes of people with intellectual disability (ID) living in group homes. Objective: To describe and evaluate dietary intake in people with ID. Method: Dietary intake was assessed in a convenience sample of people with ID living in group homes. Dietary assessment used three-day weighed food records and digital food photography. Intakes were compared to the Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) and dietary recommendations. Results: A sample of 33 adults, (men (M): n = 14; women (W): n = 19), mean age 51 ± 14 years, was recruited from seven group homes. Mean daily energy intake was low (M: 7.4 MJ; W: 7.0 MJ; p = 0.46), similar to levels recommended for bed rest. Many participants had intakes below the estimated average requirements (EARs) for the nutrients, magnesium (M: 86%; W: 63%), calcium (M: 43%; W: 78%), iodine (M: 43%; W: 47%) and zinc (M: 43%). Less than half of the recommended daily servings were consumed for vegetables (men and women) and dairy foods (women). Conclusion: Nutrient intake and diet quality of the participants in the group homes studied was poor. Education and policy to support healthier diets is required to improve dietary intake of people with intellectual disability, living in group homes.

Picky eating in children is often a major source of concern for many parents and caregivers. Picky eaters (PEs) consume limited foods, demonstrate food aversion, and have a limited food repertoire, which hinders their growth and health. These behaviours are common in children with special health care needs despite the rise in typically developing children. This leads to less attention being given to intervention programmes for typically developing children. Therefore, this scoping review aims to investigate the key concept of an existing intervention programme for PE among typically developing children, primarily on the types and approaches selected. A thorough literature search was conducted on three primary databases (PubMed, Emerald In-sight, and Web of Science) using predefined keywords. The literature was then appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute’s guidelines and protocols, and the PRISMScR checklist. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were also specified in the screening procedure. Results showed that the majority of the interventions in these studies were single-component interventions, with the sensory approach being the type that was most frequently utilised, followed by the nutrition approach and parenting approach. Single and multiple intervention components improved the assessed outcome, with a note that other components may or may not show a similar outcome, as they were not assessed in the single-component intervention. Given the evidence that picky eating is influenced by various factors, a multi-component intervention can provide a substantial impact on future programmes. In addition, defining picky eaters using standardised tools is also essential for a more inclusive subject selection.

Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently present with multiple feeding problems, which may require food texture modification to ensure safe feeding. This review aims to explore the challenges individuals with CP and their caregiver’s face and recommend modified food textures to ensure safety and improve the quality of life and nutritional status. A systematic search was carried out through four databases (i.e., EBSCO (Medline), PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science) between January 2011 and May 2022. Out of 86 articles retrieved, seven were selected based on keywords and seven other studies through manual search-five cross-sectional studies, two qualitative studies, one correlational study, one mixed method study, one case-control study, two sections of books, and two educational materials. The findings suggest that preparation and intake of food with modified texture play a necessary role in the safety of swallowing in addition to physical, social, and environmental aspects. Safety was found to be the crucial part of the food texture modification provision besides considering the stress of the caregivers and the nutritional status of individuals with CP. Currently, there are no standard guidelines available pertaining to food texture modification. This led to uncertainties in the dietary provision among caregivers, which may lead to undernourishment. Hence, standard guidelines relating to food texture modification that focuses on food preparation and menus with calorie and nutrient information are timely to be developed.