The association between sugar-sweetened beverages and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

Si Tan; Ning Pan; Xiaoyu Xu; Hailin Li; Lizi Lin; Jiajie Chen; Chengkai Jin; Shuolin Pan; Jin Jing; Xiuhong Li

doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.927212

The association between sugar-sweetened beverages and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

Front Nutr. 2022 Aug 4:9:927212. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.927212. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Si Tan¹, Ning Pan¹, Xiaoyu Xu¹, Hailin Li¹, Lizi Lin², Jiajie Chen¹, Chengkai Jin¹, Shuolin Pan¹, Jin Jing¹, Xiuhong Li¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Background: Emotional and behavioral problems are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It's still unclear whether children with ASD have abnormal sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and milk intake and whether this abnormality will affect their emotions and behavior remains unclear. The current study aims to investigate the association of SSBs and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: 107 children with ASD and 207 typical developing (TD) children aged 6-12 years old were recruited for the study. The frequency of SSBs and milk intake was assessed by a self-designed questionnaire. Emotional and behavioral problems were assessed by Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Then, the linear regression model was produced to evaluate the association of SSBs and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems.

Results: In the current study, there was no difference in frequency of SSBs intake between children with ASD and TD children (p > 0.05), and children with ASD consumed less milk compared to TD children (p < 0.05). After adjusting sex, age, maternal and paternal education, and monthly family income, we found a significant difference in each subscale score of SDQ in the two groups (p < 0.05). In children with ASD, higher frequent SSBs intake was positively associated with the scores of the emotional problem (p for trend <0.05), and lower frequent milk intake was inversely associated with the scores of prosocial behavior (p for trend <0.05). No interactive effects were found on SSBs and milk intake with emotional and behavioral problems (p for trend > 0.05).

Conclusion: In children with ASD, frequency of SSBs and milk intake was associated with the emotional problem and prosocial behavior, respectively. Children with ASD should increase the frequency of milk intake and decrease the frequency of SSBs intake.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; children; emotional and behavioral problems; milk; sugar sweetened beverages.