Current dietary approaches in autism spectrum disorder

Introduction:
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental disorder that emerges in early childhood and results in significant lifelong disabilities. The goal of treatment is to promote the child’s social and language development and minimize behaviors that interfere with the child’s functioning and learning. Various dietary approaches, such as gluten-free and casein-free, may help improve symptoms. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different dietary approaches on ASD.

Material and methods:
The study included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted between 2000 and 2024. The search was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed databases.

Results:
As a result of the study, it was found that different dietary practices could help improve behavior and communication and reduce gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with ASD.

Conclusions:
There are different dietary recommendations that can be applied medically in ASD. In the realm of medical nutrition therapy, investigating the pathophysiology, nutrient intake, and food allergies/intolerances of individuals with ASD, addressing energy and nutrient deficiencies through dietary modifications and balanced nutrition, and employing therapeutic dietary approaches to alleviate symptoms would be advantageous. However, before making recommendations about ideal dietary practice, prospective controlled studies with large samples are needed.