Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine


ISSN: 2300-9705     eISSN: 2353-2807    OAI    DOI: 10.18276/cej.2025.3-01
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Issue archive / Vol. 51, No. 3/2025
Examining the Relationship Between Sports Activities, Nutritional Status and Sleep Habits in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Authors: Ayşe Nur Kahve ORCID
Department of Sports and Health, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey

Yağmur Yıldız ORCID
Department of Sports and Health, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey

Hande Yazıcıoğlu Çalışan ORCID
Department of Sports and Health, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey

Ali Rıza ATICI ORCID
Department of Sports and Health, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey

Okan KAMİŞ ORCID
Department of Sports and Health, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Turkey
Keywords: autism spectrum disorder CSHQ eating behaviours sleep problems
Whole issue publication date:2025
Page range:16 (5-20)
Klasyfikacja JEL: I12 I18
Cited-by (Crossref) ?:

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the influence of sports activities on certain nutritional habits, eating issues, food consumption frequencies, and sleep patterns in children with autism, categorized by age groups. This study was cross-sectional and included 93 children between the ages of 3 and 18 years, divided according to participation in sports activities three days a week within autism sports clubs and associations. The investigation employed various tools, including nutrition habit inquiries, a food consumption frequency questionnaire, and the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) Short Form. The findings revealed that children engaged in sports exhibited a higher consumption rate of egg compared to their non-participant counterparts. Moreover, when examining the sleep patterns of children with autism across different ages, it was observed that non-participating children aged 3–5 years had significantly higher CSHQ scores than their sporting counterparts aged 3–5 (p < 0.05; d = 1.71). This study suggests that involvement in sports activities may serve as a promising strategy for regulating the nutritional intake and sleep patterns of children with autism, thereby potentially enhancing overall sleep quality.
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