Table 4.
Special diet use in pediatric autism.
| All n (%) | Males n (%) | Females n (%) | p | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No restrictions | 142 (67.6) | 113 (72.0) | 29 (54.7) | 0.027 |
| Gluten free | 21 (10.0) | 8 (5.1) | 13 (24.5) | <0.001 |
| High carb | 17 (8.1) | 14 (8.9) | 3 (5.7) | 0.570 |
| Lactose free | 16 (7.6) | 7 (4.5) | 9 (17.0) | 0.006 |
| Casein free | 12 (5.7) | 8 (5.1) | 4 (7.5) | 0.734 |
| High protein | 8 (3.8) | 4 (2.5) | 4 (7.5) | 0.206 |
| Ketogenic diet (i.e., high fat, low card) | 7 (3.3) | 6 (3.8) | 1 (1.9) | 0.682 |
| Vegetarian | 4 (1.9) | 2 (1.3) | 2 (3.8) | 0.574 |
| Vegan | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | n/a |
Diet data is presented as a count (percentage within sex) who follow each diet. Differences between sex were determined using a Fisher’s exact test. p < 0.05 was considered significant. Significant differences are bolded. n/a, not applicable.