Gender and racial/ethnic differences in food selectivity in children with intellectual disabilities.

Abstract

We examined differences in food selectivity by gender and parent race/ethnicity in children with intellectual disabilities. A convenience sample of 56 children with intellectual disabilities was analysed. A modified Youth/Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire and a 3-day food record were used to measure child food refusal rate and food repertoire, respectively. Boys were about twice as likely to refuse total foods (rate ratio=2.34, 95%CI=1.34-4.09) and fruits (rate ratio=2.03, 95%CI=1.04-3.95) and 54% more likely to refuse vegetables (rate ratio=1.54, 95%CI=0.93-2.54). Children with Hispanic parents were twice as likely to refuse vegetables compared to children with non-Hispanic White parents (rate ratio=2.00, 95%CI=1.03-3.90). In analyses stratified by the presence or absence of co-occurring probable autism spectrum disorder, boys had greater food selectivity than girls. This study expands our understanding of food selectivity in children with intellectual disabilities.