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Book Review: "Supporting Autistic People with Eating Disorders" – A Dietitian’s Perspective



If you work with clients who have both autism and eating disorders, "Supporting Autistic People with Eating Disorders" could be a helpful book to have as part of your reading. It combines personal stories, clinical guidance, and research to help health professionals understand the unique challenges faced by autistic individuals struggling with eating disorders. While the research in this area is still in it’s early stages, the book offers some useful insights to think about and inform clinical pathways.

 




 


The connection between autism and eating disorders is complex. Many autistic individuals have sensory sensitivities, rigid thinking patterns, and communication difficulties as well as executive dysfunctions, all of which can affect their relationship with food.

 

The book offers several case studies that showcase how these issues play out in real life, which can be incredibly helpful to increase your knowledge to support someone. What might look like food restriction related to body image in one person could be more about sensory overload or a need for routine in an autistic client. This is a key point the book makes—what works for one person might not work for another.

 

The Role of the Dietitian in an Interdisciplinary Team

 

One of the main strengths of the book is its focus on teamwork. It emphasises that dietitians should be working closely with psychologists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists to address the full scope of challenges an autistic person might face.

 

From a nutrition standpoint, the book touches on some really important points. For one, we can’t always use standard meal plans or neurotypical approaches when working with autistic clients. Sensory issues might mean that only a handful of foods are tolerated, and introducing new foods can be a slow anxiety provoking process, but also may not be needed. The book encourages flexibility and creativity in this area.

 

There is much less discussion around bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), which are all common in autistic clients.

 




 


Gaps in Research and Practice

 

The book is based on clinical experience in the presence of a lack of robust research in this area, because there is very little out there. Although the authors present a mix of personal experiences, clinical cases, and what little research is available, it’s clear that we need more evidence-based studies. This is especially true when it comes to nutrition interventions. How do we best support autistic individuals who have an eating disorder? What nutritional strategies are most effective for this population?

 

The book does a great job of raising these questions but doesn't always provide the answers. That said, it’s a starting point for dietitians who are looking to expand their understanding of how autism impacts eating behaviors.

 

Takeaways for Dietitians

 

Supporting Autistic People with Eating Disorders is a resource to dip into when you're working with clients who have both autism and an eating disorder but clear links with your local Autism team will ensure that your work is back but the most up to date evidence and that the team are all working to the same pathway to support individuals.




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