Diet popular for autism spectrum disorder fails to show significant behavioral enhancements
In a groundbreaking study conducted at the University of Rochester, researchers have found that the popular belief that specific dietary changes, such as gluten-free and casein-free diets, can improve symptoms in children with autism, is not supported by their research.
The study, initiated in 2003 by the Golisano Children's Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center, was funded by the NIH's National Institutes of Mental Health Studies to Advance Autism Treatment Research and the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). The research enrolled 22 children between 2 1⁄2- and 5 1⁄2-years-old, with 14 completing the intervention.
The study was a tightly controlled experiment, making it the most controlled diet research in autism to date. Children were given snacks containing gluten, casein, both, or placebo in randomized order. The snacks were carefully engineered to look, taste, and feel the same for the blind study. Parents, teachers, and a research assistant filled out standardized surveys about the child's behavior before and after the snack.
The nutrition staff worked closely with families to make a snack that met their child's preferences. The study controlled for other interventions, such as behavioral treatments, to ensure all observed changes were due to dietary alterations.
Despite the careful design, the study did not find any impact on behavior, sleep, or bowel patterns after eliminating gluten and casein from the diets of children with autism. Following the gluten and casein snacks, there was no change in attention, activity, sleep, or frequency or quality of bowel habits.
The study did not investigate the effects of more restrictive diets or nutritional supplements on behavior. It is worth noting that families had to strictly adhere to a gluten-free and casein-free diet and participate in early intensive behavioral intervention throughout the study.
Additional context from University of Rochester research focuses more on neurological processing differences in autism (e.g., sensory processing and brain responses to touch), rather than on dietary interventions. This research highlights differences in brain function related to autism but does not provide evidence supporting dietary changes like gluten- or casein-free diets as effective.
Therefore, the conclusions from the University of Rochester indicate that these dietary interventions lack strong scientific support for improving autism symptoms based on their rigorous studies. The study did not include children with significant gastrointestinal disease, and researchers ensured participants received needed nutrients, as children on gluten-free, casein-free diets may eat inadequate amounts of vitamin D, calcium, iron, and high-quality protein.
In conclusion, the University of Rochester study does not provide positive conclusions supporting the effectiveness of gluten-free and casein-free diets in improving symptoms in children with autism. Further research is needed to understand the role of diet in autism and to develop interventions that can improve the lives of children with autism and their families.
The University of Rochester study, focusing more on neurological processing differences in autism, did not find any impact on behavior, sleep, or bowel patterns after eliminating gluten and casein from the diets of children with autism. Subsequently, the conclusions from the University of Rochester indicate that gluten- and casein-free diets lack strong scientific support for improving autism symptoms based on their rigorous studies.
Despite the study's focus on health-and-wellness, mental-health, and nutrition, the University of Rochester research highlights differences in brain function related to autism but does not provide evidence supporting dietary changes as effective in improving symptoms.
