Gluten-Free Casein-Free Test Food Development Study
Chief Investigator at Newcastle Site:
Start and End Dates: June 2007-Sept 2007
Foods produced by Heron Quality Foods
Many families with young children with autism are aware of reports claiming that diet can improve the symptoms of autism. This means there is an urgent need to investigate the usefulness of gluten-free casein-free diets. A team at Newcastle University is intending to carry out such research in the future, and are undertaking some preliminary studies.
One vital step is to develop high quality test foods and then find out whether these foods are suitable for young children with autism to eat. The Test Food Development Study was about the acceptability of some foods such as biscuits and pancakes for young children with autism (and not about whether autism, or any other associated symptoms, are better with a change of diet). Parents were asked to offer their child two foods every day for a month, and to complete some questionnaires.
52 families agreed to take part in the study, in the North East, in the Lothians, and in South East Thames.
Test foods were eaten by the majority of the children.