TABLE 1.
Characteristics of study participants.
| Variables | ASD | Control | P∗ |
| Mean ± SD | Mean ± SD | ||
| Age (years) | 7.67 ± 1.17 | 7.73 ± 1.13 | 0.008 |
| Sex | |||
| Male | 40 | 80 | |
| Female | 5 | 10 | |
| Height (cm) | 126.8 ± 8.23 | 127.3 ± 7.68 | 0.594 |
| Weight (kg) | 27.0 ± 7.22 | 26.9 ± 7.39 | 0.825 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 16.6 ± 3.13 | 16.4 ± 2.88 | 0.406 |
| Delivery mode | 0.714 | ||
| Vaginal | 20 (44.4) | 43 (47.8) | |
| Cesarean | 25 (55.6) | 47 (52.2) | |
| Feeding patterns | 0.131 | ||
| Breastfeeding | 35 (77.8) | 79 (87.8) | |
| Artificial feeding | 10 (22.2) | 11 (12.2) | |
| Maternal education | 0.231 | ||
| Secondary or less | 21 (46.7) | 32 (35.6) | |
| University | 23 (51.1) | 48 (53.3) | |
| Postgraduate or above | 1 (2.2) | 8 (8.9) | |
| Paternal education | 0.730 | ||
| Secondary or less | 17 (37.8) | 39 (43.3) | |
| University | 23 (51.1) | 44 (48.9) | |
| Postgraduate or above | 5 (11.1) | 7 (7.8) | |
| Dietary status | |||
| Total energy (kcal/d) | 1474 ± 347 | 1444 ± 222 | 0.531 |
| Carbohydratea (g/d) | 214 ± 25 | 206 ± 19 | 0.092 |
| Fata (g/d) | 41.0 ± 8.55 | 42.7 ± 6.01 | 0.274 |
| Proteina (g/d) | 64.5 ± 11.0 | 67.7 ± 7.86 | 0.093 |
| Fiber a (g/d) | 8.59 ± 3.16 | 8.29 ± 2.41 | 0.614 |
ASD, autism spectrum disorders. a Energy-adjusted by the residual method. ∗The P-value was compared between ASD and control groups.