Mealtime behaviors, diet quality and parental stress in children with autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study from Türkiye

This study of 111 Turkish families found that 94.5% of children with ASD had poor diet quality, with problematic mealtime behaviors being a strong independent predictor of lower dietary quality. While proactive parental strategies improved diet quality, accommodative practices like preparing separate meals were associated with poorer outcomes, and parents of girls with ASD reported significantly higher stress levels.