Introduction to Workshop Materials and Collaboration

The Toxic Western Diet textbook was written by Dr. Renee Dufault for use in the 2015 parent tutorial study. The purpose of the tutorial was to educate parents on the role ultra-processed foods play in the development of neurodevelopmental disorders. Dietary factors associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods influence nutrient-gene interactions which impact child health and development. For example, ultra-processed foods remain a source of heavy metal exposures in families. The bio-accumulation of inorganic mercury and lead in the blood increases the severity of symptoms in children with autism and ADHD via PON1-gene modulation. The parent tutorial study demonstrated that nutritional epigenetics instruction may be used as a tool to help parents reduce their family's intake of ultra-processed foods while increasing consumption of nutrient rich whole and organic foods. Parents learned that they could influence their child's behavior through dietary changes.

The clinical trial utilized a semi-randomized test and control group pilot study design with participants recruited from parents having a learning disabled child with autism or ADHD. The test group participated in the six-week online nutritional epigenetics tutorial, while the control group did not. The efficacy of the instruction was determined  by measuring changes in parent diet and attitude using data derived from an online diet survey administered to the participants during the pre and post education intervention periods.