Autismo: aspectos nutrológicos das dietas e possível etiologia

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) refer to a group of disorders characterized by a shared spectrum of qualitative impairments in social interaction, associated with repetitive behavior and pronounced restricted interests. The causes of this illness are still unknown, but due to the great incidence of affected children, nowadays, dietary interventions have been studied and disseminated in order to improve the psychiatric and physical symptoms of the patients affected by ASDs. Exclusion diets have become more popular among parents who seek treatment for children diagnosed with autism, such as the ketogenic diet, the specific carbohydrate diet, the Feingold diet, the low oxalate diet, the gluten-free and casein-free diet (GFCF), as well as vitamin complex supplementation. The goal of the present literature review is to assess whether the GFCF diet, which is the most widespread and adopted option lately, is effective and also its nutritional consequences. Method: A bibliographic review of articles published during the past 5 years was performed. Conclusion: The GFCF diet is the most studied one and seems to improve the behavior and the gastrointestinal disorders of children with ASDs.