Table 1.
Descriptive of subjects’ demographic, clinical characteristics, dietary patterns, and FGID classification.
| ASD FGID+ | ASD FGID− | TD FGID+ | TD FGID− | Statistical comparison | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N (%) | M (SD) | N (%) | M (SD) | N (%) | M (SD) | N (%) | M (SD) | Statistics | p | |||
| Subjects’ characteristics | ||||||||||||
| Male | 30 (100) | – | 62 (100) | – | 32 (100) | – | 80 (100) | – | – | – | ||
| Age | – | 8.2 (1.846) | – | 8.548 (1.375) | – | 8.469 (1.759) | – | 7.975 (2.068) | F (3, 81.332) = 1.397 | 0.25 | ||
| Comorbidity | – | – | ||||||||||
| ADHD | 19 (63.3) | – | 31 (50) | – | 0 (0) | – | 0 (0) | – | ||||
| SLD | 2 (6.7) | – | 3 (4.8) | – | 0 (0) | – | 0 (0) | – | ||||
| AQ–10 | – | 6.733 (1.818) | – | 6.516 (2.014) | – | 2.906 (1.304) | – | 3.05 (1.066) | F(3, 75.043) = 80.399 | < 0.001 | ||
| SCAS–P | – | 27.67 (14.03) | – | 22.76 (10.2) | – | 17.03 (8.982) | – | 15.88 (9.896) | F(3, 80.483) = 9.625 | < 0.001 | ||
| SDQ | – | 20.03 (5.067) | – | 16.2 (5.075) | – | 12.23 (4.193) | – | 9.91 (4.109) | F(3, 78.153) = 40.93 | < 0.001 | ||
| Taking psychiatric medication (≥ 1) | 14 (46.7) | – | 26 (41.9) | – | 0 (0) | – | 0 (0) | – | – | – | ||
| Methylphenidate or Atomoxetine | 14 (46.7) | – | 24 (38.7) | – | 0 (0) | – | 0 (0) | – | ||||
| Aripiprazole or Risperidone | 5 (16.7) | – | 5 (8.1) | – | 0 (0) | – | 0 (0) | – | ||||
| Cyproheptadine | 2 (6.7) | – | 4 (6.5) | – | 0 (0) | – | 0 (0) | – | ||||
| BMI | – | 15.67 (3.282) | - | 16.73 (4.654) | - | 17.56 (5.07) | - | 16.96 (4.727) | F(3, 75.7) = 1.176 | 0.325 | ||
| Dietary pattern | ||||||||||||
| Unhealthy diet | – | 1.467 (0.86) | – | 1.565 (1.002) | – | 1.531 (1.107) | – | 1.212 (1.04) | F(3, 83.983) = 1.6 | 0.196 | ||
| Fibre intake | – | 0.4 (0.563) | – | 0.677 (0.566) | – | 0.594 (0.56) | – | 0.738 (0.568) | F(3, 82.682) = 2.712 | 0.05 | ||
| Main nutrient intake | – | 4.433 (1.251) | – | 4.452 (1.387) | – | 4.375 (1.1) | – | 5.05 (1.066) | F(3, 81.377) = 4.824 | 0.004 | ||
| FGID classification | ||||||||||||
| FNVD | 4 (13.3) | – | – | 2 (6.3) | – | – | χ2 = 1.619 | 0.655 | ||||
| FAPD | 15 (50) | – | – | 15 (46.9) | – | – | ||||||
| FDD | 11 (36.7) | – | – | 15 (46.9) | – | – | ||||||
Significant values are in bold.
ASD Autism Spectrum Disorder, TD Typically Developing, FGID Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder, ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, SLD Specific Learning Disorder, AQ-10 Autism Spectrum Quotient 10 items, SCAS-P Spence Children's Anxiety Scale—Parent Version, SDQ Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire—Parent Version, BMI Body Mass Index, FNVD Functional Nausea and Vomiting Disorders, FAPD Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders, FDD Functional Defecation Disorders.