Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Science Communicator Platform

Stay connected! Follow us on X network (Twitter):
Share By
The Association Between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Dietary Intake of Carbohydrates in School-Aged Children in Iran: A Case–Control Study Publisher Pubmed

Summary: Study links higher sugar and maltose intake to autism in kids, but more carbs, fructose, and lactose may lower risk. More research needed. #Autism #Nutrition

Tajadod S1 ; Roumi Z2 ; Abbas Torki S3 ; Mousavi Shalmani SH4 ; Moradi M5 ; Saeedirad Z6 ; Abbasi Mobarakeh K7 ; Mohammadi S8 ; Shekari S2 ; Mirzaee P9 ; Bahmani P10 ; Houshyarrad A11 ; Doaei S12
Authors

Source: Neuropsychopharmacology Reports Published:2025


Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Imbalanced dietary Intake has recently been proposed as a possible environmental risk factor for ASD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible connection between ASD and intake of various carbohydrate types. Methods: 110 patients with autism from 5 to 15 years of age have been included as the case group and 110 neurotypical children who are part of a similar age category have been chosen as controls for this case–control study. To estimate the dietary intake of carbohydrates, a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used. Results: Positive connections were found between ASD and the intake of sugar (OR = 1.03, CI 95%: 1.02–1.06, p = 0.001), and maltose (OR = 2.09, CI 95%: 1.37–3.20, p = 0.001). A reverse correlation was found between ASD and dietary intake of carbohydrates (OR = 0.97, CI 95%: 0.96–0.98, p = 0.001), fructose (OR = 0.85, CI 95%: 0.77–0.94, p = 0.002), and lactose (OR = 0.89, CI 95%: 0.83–0.96, p = 0.002). Conclusion: This study showed a direct link between autism and the intake of sugar and maltose and an inverse connection between autism and the dietary intake of total carbohydrate, fructose, and lactose. There is a need to carry out additional long-term studies. © 2025 The Author(s). Neuropsychopharmacology Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology.
Related Docs
View other Related Docs
1. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Dietary Intake of Vitamin E, Neuropsychopharmacology Reports (2025)
2. Comparison of Dietary Intake and Anthropometric Indicators of Autistic and Non-Autistic Children, Annals of Tropical Medicine and Public Health (2018)
3. Do Patterns of Nutrient Intake Predict Self-Reported Anxiety, Depression and Psychological Distress in Adults? Sepahan Study, Clinical Nutrition (2019)
Experts (# of related papers)
View all Related Experts
Awat Feizi (3)
Nizal Sarrafzadegan (2)
The Association Between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Dietary Intake of Carbohydrates in School-Aged Children in Iran: A Case–Control Study
Other Related Docs
4. Dietary Patterns and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Among Iranian Children: A Case-Control Study, Journal of the American College of Nutrition (2019)
5. The Link Between the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases and the Intake of Different Types of Dietary Carbohydrates in Iranian Adults, Cardiovascular Endocrinology and Metabolism (2024)
6. Inborn Errors of Metabolism Associated With Autism Among Children: A Multicenter Study From Iran, Indian Pediatrics (2023)
7. Evaluating the Association Between the Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (Mind) Diet, Mental Health, and Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors Among Individuals With Obesity, BMC Endocrine Disorders (2023)
8. Validation and Reproducibility of a Semi-Qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaire for Assessment of Sodium Intake in Iranian Population, Nutrition Journal (2022)
9. The Effects of Different Kinds of Nutrition and Functional Foods on Multiple Sclerosis, Current Nutrition and Food Science (2020)
10. Environmental Factors Influencing the Risk of Autism, Journal of Research in Medical Sciences (2017)
11. Nutrient Intake and Unhealthy Dietary Pattern of Iranian Women: A Cross Sectional Study, Progress in Nutrition (2018)
12. Association of Legumes and Nuts Consumption With Metabolic Health Status in Iranian Overweight And Obese Adolescents, Scientific Reports (2023)
13. Long-Term Nuts Intake and Metabolic Syndrome: A 13-Year Longitudinal Population-Based Study, Clinical Nutrition (2019)
14. Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Mediate the Effect of Cartpt Rs2239670 Gene Polymorphism on Metabolic Syndrome and Metabolic Risk Factors Among Adults With Obesity, BMC Endocrine Disorders (2022)
15. Association of Ultra-Processed Food Consumption With Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Patients With Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus, Nutrition and Diabetes (2024)
16. Association Between Protein-Rich Dietary Patterns and Anthropometric Measurements Among Children Aged 6 Years, Nutrition and Dietetics (2020)
17. The Association Between Dietary Acid Load and Risk of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case-Control Study, Child Neuropsychology (2023)
18. A Case-Control Study on Dietary Calcium Intake and Risk of Glioma, European Journal of Cancer Prevention (2021)
19. The Association Between Dietary Polyphenol Intake and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case-Control Study, BMC Pediatrics (2022)
20. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Most Common Processed Foods Consumed by Iranian Children; [Examen Systematique Et Meta-Analyse Des Aliments Transformes/Ultratransformes Les Plus Couramment Consommes Par Les Enfants Iraniens], Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (2021)