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> So this study concludes that kids with ASD have reduced dietary diversity because of their behaviors, and this alters the taxonomic composition of their micro

> So this study concludes that kids with ASD have reduced dietary diversity because of their behaviors, and this alters the taxonomic composition of their microbiome This sounds reasonable. Anecdotally autism and OCD can cause strange eating habits.

1-6 5y ago
I’d also like to see a microbiome study done on more neurodivergent individuals to see if this pattern sticks. Anecdotally, we also have a family where we have to cook separate meals at times because certain foods cause the gag reflex while they eat and they don’t like exploring new foods.
- anotherevan 5y ago
  The running joke when my son was younger was that he didn't like to try new foods he hadn't had before. Fortunately he grew out of it in his mid-to-late teens.
- nradov 5y ago
  I'm curious how neurodivergent individuals managed to survive in pre-modern times, or even in poor countries today. Throughout most of human history people usually didn't have any choice of foods. They either ate whatever was available, or they starved. The concept of cooking separate meals is a historical anomaly that's only possible in an affluent society with a food surplus.
  - Auracle 5y ago
    Most people in the first world nowadays have rarely, if ever, been all that hungry. If you go, say, 14 hours without eating anything while walking in hard terrain/doing physical labor literally anything edible is appetizing. I imagine they got over whatever mental blocks they had quickly.
Bobylonian 5y ago
Yes, but let's be reasonable - not everything that is available as a food can be classified as food(in the sense of healthy food). I, for one, as an omnivore, that shuns extreme food preferences, have a very diverse diet(which includes meat, fish, vegetables) and prepare and cook food myself and my strange habbit is not getting the same food every day, because it gets too boring. Even because of this diverse diet, I still can easily develop some problems, that other people seems to not have eating the same food. Also, if you think about that - not only smell, but taste and texture can cause sensory overload and if you have eaten something that feels funny, that means that your gut also is sending signals. I have vomited food, that others did not had problems eating, even if that food was probably slighly spoiled - apparently this is something that my gut tolerates less than others. Let's also think on whom this paper is aimed at - in general people are stupid, like the parent that succumbed to childs demands of food(though, pear is fruit, smoked chicken is meat, waffle is providing hydrocarbonates). So, there are people out there, that has to be taught, that varied diet has to be taught in chhildhood - that knowledge will stay for the rest of your life. If my parents were allowing me to eat only candies, that I was happy to consume in large quantities and not introduced to fish and other foods, that I found repulsive as a kid, then I would be similar to other people, who were not exposed to some foods and still find them repulsive, like in childhood. Some things have to be taught in childhood - like immunity - if children are not exposed to countryside, or exposure to danger - of open flame, etc. Koalas that are feeding upon specific Eucaliptic trees are not born with those gut bacterias, that are allowing to eat those leaves - they have to receive that gut bacteria via consuming fecal matter of their koala mother - if they are not receiving that bacteria, they are for sure having problems with their diet.
aaron695 5y ago
This makes no sense. There are hundreds of strange eating habits. Indian, keto, vegan, fast food, glutton free, meat and three veg, poor, rich.

1-6 5y ago

I’d also like to see a microbiome study done on more neurodivergent individuals to see if this pattern sticks. Anecdotally, we also have a family where we have to cook separate meals at times because certain foods cause the gag reflex while they eat and they don’t like exploring new foods.

anotherevan 5y ago
The running joke when my son was younger was that he didn't like to try new foods he hadn't had before. Fortunately he grew out of it in his mid-to-late teens.
nradov 5y ago
I'm curious how neurodivergent individuals managed to survive in pre-modern times, or even in poor countries today. Throughout most of human history people usually didn't have any choice of foods. They either ate whatever was available, or they starved. The concept of cooking separate meals is a historical anomaly that's only possible in an affluent society with a food surplus.
- Auracle 5y ago
  Most people in the first world nowadays have rarely, if ever, been all that hungry. If you go, say, 14 hours without eating anything while walking in hard terrain/doing physical labor literally anything edible is appetizing. I imagine they got over whatever mental blocks they had quickly.

Bobylonian 5y ago

Yes, but let's be reasonable - not everything that is available as a food can be classified as food(in the sense of healthy food). I, for one, as an omnivore, that shuns extreme food preferences, have a very diverse diet(which includes meat, fish, vegetables) and prepare and cook food myself and my strange habbit is not getting the same food every day, because it gets too boring. Even because of this diverse diet, I still can easily develop some problems, that other people seems to not have eating the same food. Also, if you think about that - not only smell, but taste and texture can cause sensory overload and if you have eaten something that feels funny, that means that your gut also is sending signals. I have vomited food, that others did not had problems eating, even if that food was probably slighly spoiled - apparently this is something that my gut tolerates less than others. Let's also think on whom this paper is aimed at - in general people are stupid, like the parent that succumbed to childs demands of food(though, pear is fruit, smoked chicken is meat, waffle is providing hydrocarbonates). So, there are people out there, that has to be taught, that varied diet has to be taught in chhildhood - that knowledge will stay for the rest of your life. If my parents were allowing me to eat only candies, that I was happy to consume in large quantities and not introduced to fish and other foods, that I found repulsive as a kid, then I would be similar to other people, who were not exposed to some foods and still find them repulsive, like in childhood. Some things have to be taught in childhood - like immunity - if children are not exposed to countryside, or exposure to danger - of open flame, etc. Koalas that are feeding upon specific Eucaliptic trees are not born with those gut bacterias, that are allowing to eat those leaves - they have to receive that gut bacteria via consuming fecal matter of their koala mother - if they are not receiving that bacteria, they are for sure having problems with their diet.

aaron695 5y ago

This makes no sense. There are hundreds of strange eating habits. Indian, keto, vegan, fast food, glutton free, meat and three veg, poor, rich.