Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocol

Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by a variety of comorbidities. A high prevalence of patients has difficulties with food intake, which can lead to malnutrition, obesity and dyslipidaemia. Although several factors influencing dietary intake in this population have been...

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Main Authors: Juliana dos Santos Vaz, Sandra Costa Valle, Eduarda De Souza Silva, Laura Vargas Hoffmann, Josiane Luçardo, Juliana Costa Maia, Luiza Vieira da Silva Magalhães, Kamila Castro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-04-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/4/e097321.full
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author Juliana dos Santos Vaz
Sandra Costa Valle
Eduarda De Souza Silva
Laura Vargas Hoffmann
Josiane Luçardo
Juliana Costa Maia
Luiza Vieira da Silva Magalhães
Kamila Castro
author_facet Juliana dos Santos Vaz
Sandra Costa Valle
Eduarda De Souza Silva
Laura Vargas Hoffmann
Josiane Luçardo
Juliana Costa Maia
Luiza Vieira da Silva Magalhães
Kamila Castro
author_sort Juliana dos Santos Vaz
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by a variety of comorbidities. A high prevalence of patients has difficulties with food intake, which can lead to malnutrition, obesity and dyslipidaemia. Although several factors influencing dietary intake in this population have been investigated in the literature, the lack of standardised assessment protocols has led to heterogeneous results across studies. This study protocol describes the methodology used to assess nutritional aspects such as feeding problems, food intake and biochemical variables in children and adolescents with ASD.Methods and analysis The clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism is a clinically based cross-sectional study design that focuses on the assessment of nutrition in children and adolescents with ASD aged 2 to under 19 years. Participants and caregivers are assessed in three clinical steps by a team of dietitians. Nutritional aspects are assessed, such as feeding behaviour (Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory, Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire), food intake (3 non-consecutive days of 24-hour food record), anthropometric measurements to calculate nutritional indicators according to WHO standards and blood samples (analysis of fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and its subfractions). The data collected have the potential for descriptive and multivariate analyses to investigate associations among clinical, dietary difficulties, nutritional and biochemical variables.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board of the Federal University of Pelotas (CAEE: 94253518.0.0000.5317). The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conferences.
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spelling doaj-art-357c5a447f8b468b8d7051fa079b33ee2025-08-20T03:52:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-04-0115410.1136/bmjopen-2024-097321Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocolJuliana dos Santos Vaz0Sandra Costa Valle1Eduarda De Souza Silva2Laura Vargas Hoffmann3Josiane Luçardo4Juliana Costa Maia5Luiza Vieira da Silva Magalhães6Kamila Castro7Graduate Program in Nutrition and Foods, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilGraduate Program in Nutrition and Foods, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilGraduate Program in Nutrition and Foods, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilGraduate Program in Nutrition and Foods, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilGraduate Program in Nutrition and Foods, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilFaculty of Medicine, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilFaculty of Medicine, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilGraduate Program in Nutrition and Foods, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilIntroduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often accompanied by a variety of comorbidities. A high prevalence of patients has difficulties with food intake, which can lead to malnutrition, obesity and dyslipidaemia. Although several factors influencing dietary intake in this population have been investigated in the literature, the lack of standardised assessment protocols has led to heterogeneous results across studies. This study protocol describes the methodology used to assess nutritional aspects such as feeding problems, food intake and biochemical variables in children and adolescents with ASD.Methods and analysis The clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism is a clinically based cross-sectional study design that focuses on the assessment of nutrition in children and adolescents with ASD aged 2 to under 19 years. Participants and caregivers are assessed in three clinical steps by a team of dietitians. Nutritional aspects are assessed, such as feeding behaviour (Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory, Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire), food intake (3 non-consecutive days of 24-hour food record), anthropometric measurements to calculate nutritional indicators according to WHO standards and blood samples (analysis of fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and its subfractions). The data collected have the potential for descriptive and multivariate analyses to investigate associations among clinical, dietary difficulties, nutritional and biochemical variables.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board of the Federal University of Pelotas (CAEE: 94253518.0.0000.5317). The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conferences.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/4/e097321.full
spellingShingle Juliana dos Santos Vaz
Sandra Costa Valle
Eduarda De Souza Silva
Laura Vargas Hoffmann
Josiane Luçardo
Juliana Costa Maia
Luiza Vieira da Silva Magalhães
Kamila Castro
Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocol
BMJ Open
title Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocol
title_full Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocol
title_fullStr Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocol
title_full_unstemmed Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocol
title_short Clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism (PANA): a cross-sectional study protocol
title_sort clinical protocol for nutritional screening in autism pana a cross sectional study protocol
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/4/e097321.full
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