Carpita Barbara, Nardi Benedetta, Pronestì Cristiana, Cerofolini Gianluca, Filidei Matilde, Bonelli Chiara, Massimetti Gabriele, Cremone Ivan Mirko, Pini Stefano, Dell'Osso Liliana
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
Brain Sci. 2025 May 14;15(5):503. doi: 10.3390/brainsci15050503.
: Recent lifestyle and dietary changes, driven by health awareness and ecological concerns, have led to the rise in numerous type of diets, which can promote well-being but may also contribute to Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), which have been suggested to be linked to autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to explore the relationship between autistic traits, social camouflaging, and orthorexic tendencies in female university students, focusing on how these factors intersect with specific dietary habits. : 554 female students were recruited via an online survey and assessed with the Adult Autism Subthreshold (AdAS) Spectrum, the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q), and the ORTO-R. Participants were categorized into four groups based on AdAS Spectrum and CAT-Q quartiles. : Vegans and vegetarians exhibited higher orthorexic tendencies and specific autistic traits. High scorers on the AdAS Spectrum and CAT-Q also showed higher ORTO-R scores, with both AdAS Spectrum and CAT-Q total scores, as well as certain domains, serving as significant positive predictors of higher ORTO-R scores. Notably, the AdAS Spectrum total score had a significant direct and indirect effect (through the CAT-Q) on the ORTO-R total score. : The study found significant associations between autistic traits, social camouflaging behaviors, and orthorexic tendencies in female university students. These findings suggest that the strict dietary behaviors and rigid thinking characteristic of orthorexia may be influenced by underlying autistic features, highlighting the need for further research into the intersection of autism and eating disorders.
近期，受健康意识和生态担忧的驱动，生活方式和饮食发生了变化，导致多种饮食方式兴起，这些饮食方式虽能促进健康，但也可能导致神经性正食症（ON），有人认为它与自闭症谱系障碍有关。本研究旨在探讨女大学生的自闭症特质、社交伪装与正食倾向之间的关系，重点关注这些因素如何与特定饮食习惯相互交织。通过在线调查招募了554名女学生，并使用成人亚阈自闭症谱系量表（AdAS）、自闭症特质伪装问卷（CAT-Q）和ORTO-R进行评估。参与者根据AdAS谱系和CAT-Q四分位数分为四组。纯素食者和素食者表现出更高的正食倾向和特定的自闭症特质。AdAS谱系和CAT-Q得分高者的ORTO-R得分也更高，AdAS谱系和CAT-Q总分以及某些领域均是ORTO-R得分较高的显著正向预测因素。值得注意的是，AdAS谱系总分对ORTO-R总分有显著的直接和间接影响（通过CAT-Q）。研究发现女大学生的自闭症特质、社交伪装行为和正食倾向之间存在显著关联。这些发现表明，正食症的严格饮食行为和僵化思维特征可能受到潜在自闭症特征的影响，凸显了进一步研究自闭症与饮食失调交叉领域的必要性。
