[Nutritional Therapy for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: What is the Evidence?]

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of developmental disabilities in childhood and adolescence. Beside genetic predisposition also environmental influences may contribute to the ASD pathogenesis. Family members of children and adolescents with ASD often ask for specific diets to alleviate ASD-associated symptoms. The aim of this review is to provide evidence-based data on nutritional interventions for children and adolescents with ASD, thus enabling practitioners to competently assess these diets.

Applying defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, a systematic literature research in PubMed, Cinahl and The Cochrane Library was conducted. Studies published earlier than 1999 were excluded. Study quality was assessed by using the CONSORT, STROBE or PRISMA checklist, respectively.

12 randomised controlled studies and 2 non-controlled studies could be included in the evaluation (n=971). There is no proven efficacy of the widely used gluten-free casein-free diets (GFCF), and no respective predictive marker has been proven significant.

Based on available data, no evidence based recommendations regarding nutritional interventions for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders can be made. Future studies need to clarify whether particular patients may yet benefit from certain diets.