Brief Report: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Remote-Based Nutrition Education Program for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A COVID-19 Pilot Study

To examine the feasibility and acceptability of a remote-based nutrition education program during COVID-19 for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Ten adolescents with ASD participated in a 4-week nutrition education program utilizing Zoom software during COVID-19. Topics included shopping for healthy food, and food preparation safety measures. Attendance was collected for each session. Participants, parents, and the classroom teacher completed post-program surveys and interviews. The course attendance rate was 97%. Every adolescent reported they would participate in similar future programs, and the teacher/parents felt the program was a positive experience for the participants. The remote-based nutrition education program appeared to be feasible and acceptable to participants. Future research should focus on program efficacy.

Automated summary

The study examines the feasibility and acceptability of a remote-based nutrition education program for adolescents with ASD during COVID-19, showing high satisfaction among participants and potential for future research to focus on program efficacy.