Table 1 Areas of autism-related difficulty adapted from Brede et al. [37] proposed model of autism-specific mechanism underlying restrictive eating difficulties

Area of autism-related difficulty

Food specific sensory sensitivities

Interoceptive awareness related to eating, digestion and bodily changes

General sensory sensitivities

Social interaction and relationships

Understanding and regulating emotions

Intolerance of uncertainty

Rigidity and routine based behaviours

Black-and-white, literal thinking around food, weight and eating

Intense interests related to food, weight and exercise