A preference for foods such as wholemeal pasta or cheese spread may be linked to autism through subtle effects on the immune system, a new study has suggested.

Findings of the new study are published in the journal ‘Frontiers in Nutrition’. Researchers from Shandong University Qilu Hospital in China analysed genetic data that can give clues about people’s longterm eating habits.

This allowed them to explore whether lifelong dietary patterns are associated with autism. Among nearly 200 foods examined, two stood out.

Wholemeal pasta, which contains gluten, and cheese spread, which is rich in casein, a milk protein, were both linked to a higher likelihood of autism in the analysis. S u m m a r i s i n g their findings, the researchers wrote: ‘Our study suggests that the intake of wholemeal pasta and cheese spread is a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).’

Autism is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how people communicate, interact and experience the world. It is not an illness, and autistic people are born autistic, even if signs are not recognised until later in life.