The association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption and executive function (EF) among typically developing (TD) children has been investigated in previous studies but with inconsistent results. Furthermore, this relationship has been less investigated among autistic children who perform worse in EF compared with TD children. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between SSB consumption and EF in autistic children, and whether the association between SSB and EF in autistic children is different from that in TD children. We recruited 106 autistic children and 207 TD children aged 6–12 years in Guangzhou, China. Children’s EF was assessed by using the Chinese version of parent-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Stroop Color–Word Test, and working memory subscales of the Chinese version of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children, Fourth edition. Meanwhile, we assessed children’s dietary intake and SSB consumption with a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. In this study, 70 (66.0%) autistic children consumed SSB and 20 (18.9%) of them consumed more than two servings SSB a week. Among autistic children, over two servings per week SSB consumption was associated with poorer performance in emotional control [β = 7.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.94–13.46] and plan/Organize (β = 6.45, 95% CI: 0.27–12.63). The association between over two servings/week SSB consumption and emotional control among autistic children was significantly different from that among TD children (βASD = 7.20; βTD = −3.09, Z = 2.72, p = 0.006). Results of this study show that SSB consumption was associated with an impairment in some subscales of EF in autistic children. Furthermore, the association between SSB and EF in autistic children might be different from that in TD children.
BackgroundIt is well known that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had executive functions deficit. However, it is still unclear whether the poor dietary quality is related to the impairment of executive functions. The current study aimed to explore the association between dietary quality and executive functions in children with ASD.MethodsA total of 106 children with ASD (7.7 ± 1.3 years) and 207 typically developing (TD) children (7.8 ± 1.3 years) were enrolled from Guangzhou, China. The Chinese version of Behavior Rating Scale of Executive function (BRIEF), the working memory subscales of the Chinese version of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV), and the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT) were used to measure the participant's executive functions. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to collect the dietary intake information, and the Chinese Diet Balance Index (DBI_16) was used to evaluate the dietary quality. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the association between dietary quality and executive functions.ResultsIn children with ASD, Low Bound Score (LBS) was positively correlated with the working memory subscale score of BRIEF (β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.02–0.44, P < 0.05), while High Bound Score (HBS) and LBS were positively correlated with the organizable subscale score of BRIEF (β = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.11–0.77, P < 0.01; β = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.01–0.37, P < 0.05). Compared to TD children, children with ASD had a higher proportion of moderate and high levels of insufficient dietary intake (moderate level, 37.7% vs. 23.2%, high level, 4.7% vs. 1.4%) and moderate level of unbalanced dietary intake (36.8% vs.21.3%), higher scores on all subscales of BRIEF (P < 0.01), and lower score on the working memory (81.3 ± 32.3 vs. 104.6 ± 12.5, P < 0.01), while there was no difference on the SCWT.ConclusionPoor dietary quality was associated with the impairment of working memory and organizational capacity in children with ASD. This study emphasized the importance of dietary quality in executive functions among children with ASD, and attention should be paid to improving their dietary quality.
Background and ObjectivesThe relationship between brain function and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is widely explored, but the motor function was not included. We aim to explore the relationship between SSBs and motor function among children with or without autism.MethodsParticipants were a representative autism sample (ASD, n = 106) comprising ages ranging 6–9 years and their age-matched typical counterparts (TD, n = 207), recruited in the research center of Guangzhou, China. Valid questionnaires of parent-reported including weekly SSBs intake, physical activity (PA), sedentary time (ST), and motor coordination function was used to collect relevant information. SSBs intake was further classified as no intake (no habit of taking SSBs), small to medium intake (<375 ml/week), and large intake (375 ml/week or more). Physical activity, sedentary time, and motor coordination function among the mentioned three groups as well as ASD vs. TD was compared via general linear models.ResultsCompared with TD children, ASD children showed less vigorous PA (4.23 ± 0.34 h vs. 2.77 ± 0.49 h, p = 0.015) as well as overall sedentary time (5.52 ± 1.89 h vs. 3.67 ± 0.28 h, 3.49 ± 0.16 h vs. 2.68 ± 0.24 h, and 34.59 ± 1.15 h vs. 23.69 ± 1.69 h, TD vs. ASD, sedentary time at weekdays, weekends and total ST in a week, respectively, all p < 0.05), lower scores in the developmental coordination disorder questionnaire (fine motor and handwriting: 14.21 ± 0.26 vs. 12.30 ± 0.38, general coordination: 28.90 ± 0.36 vs. 25.17 ± 0.53, control during movement: 24.56 ± 0.36 vs. 18.86 ± 0.53, and total score: 67.67 ± 0.75 vs. 56.33 ± 1.10, TD vs. ASD, all p < 0.05). Stratified by SSBs intake, TD children with small to medium SSBs intake showed the lowest sedentary time both on weekdays and weekends (all p < 0.05), they also performed worst in fine motor and handwriting skills (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe association between SSBs and motor function was observed in typical development children, but not autistic children. A larger sample size study with a longitudinal design is warranted to confirm the association between SSBs and sedentary time among typically developed children and the potential causation direction.
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