Liesa Wayson, Director of Admissions and Outreach, CLE Monterey
The term Autism, short for Autism Spectrum disorders (ASD), refers to a wide range of conditions. Characteristic for this condition are challenges with the development of social skills, verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as repetitive behavior. While in 2018 1 in 59 children was diagnosed with autism, new research in 2019 found that the rates have increased. In 2019 1 in 40 children in the US was diagnosed with autism (Center of Disease Control).
Since autism spectrum disorders refer to a broad range of conditions, each individual affected by autism has their own strengths and needs. While some people may require wrap-around support in areas like Independent Living, Academics, Social Coaching and Executive Functioning, others might need less support or even live entirely independently.
While it is not fully known what influences the development of autism, we do know that it is often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues like sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, seizures and gastrointestinal disorders.
Modern medicine and research backs what our ancestors have known thousands of years before us: There is real power in food! While certain foods can give us energy and make us feel better, other foods, or a lack thereof, might make seizures worse, increase anxiety, or worsen gastrointestinal issues.
The average American eats less vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, healthy oils and dairy products than recommended and 90% of Americans eat more sodium than it is recommended for a healthy diet. Looking at these facts we gain the understanding that it is already a huge challenge to eat nutritionally sound for the average citizen of America.
Young adults with autism spectrum disorders are not only faced with the challenge to eat healthy, avoid what is convenient food (a.k.a. fast food) and to not eat too much, they are often additionally extremely sensitive to flavor, color, smell and texture. Many also have strong preferences of a very small selection of foods, which might make their diet monotone.
Just like other people, individuals with autism might find comfort in food. Poor impulse control, which is another way autism manifests itself, makes it even harder for people with autism to take control and override their immediate wants, which might be a full bag of chips or candy.
Research has found that individuals with autism often prefer carb-heavy and processed foods, while disliking fruits, vegetables and anything with strong flavors and textures.
At College Living Experience in Monterey we decided this past January to tackle nutrition education with our students.
Our goal was not only to educate them about foods that would be healthy alternatives to processed foods. We also aimed to
help them discover which foods they enjoy, how to find them in a grocery store, and how to cook nutritionally wholesome and
tasty meals in their homes.
At College Living Experience we provide post-secondary support & transition services to young adults with autism,
ADD/ADHD, and other learning differences. Our overarching goal is for our students to transition towards independence.
In order to achieve this goal, we support them with academic and career-programming, social coaching, and independent living
skills training.
During our 4-week nutrition seminar with our students, we covered topics like Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats,
how to read a nutrition labels, and recommended serving sizes. We then took the lesson into the community and went to a
local grocery store to find their preferred healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack-foods, then brainstormed together
with them which meals could be prepared with those ingredients.
Additionally, students started a food journal where they recorded when and what they ate, so we could discuss in the next
session the food choices they made and celebrate successes. Each class was accompanied with a full table stocked with some
healthy food options (Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), some lesser in nutritional value choices
(Fruit Loops Cereal, Chocolate Bar) and some foods they might not know or have tried yet (like Celery, Beets and dried prunes).
A few strategies we used to make our seminar successful and avoid the feeling of: "I am not allowed to have this anymore.",
was to always introduce a new food as a companion to something they already like. For example, if the student enjoys a
burger with French fries, they might like to try a burger with oven-roasted carrots on the side, or they might mix their
favorite sugary cereal with some steal-cut oatmeal. Staying with healthier food options of the same type or brand can also
be helpful. For example, switching from the Quaker 2min. Maple flavored microwave breakfast cereal to Quaker steel-cut oats.
Over the course of the seminar students became more curious and were more willing to taste different choices,
especially if the new food had a companion they already liked. By "meeting them where they were at", we were able to help
students become more bought-in to their own personal health, as well as spark their curiosity in trying new foods!