Researchers tested whether eating anti-inflammatory foods (foods that reduce body swelling) could help children with autism think more clearly. They studied 22 children: 11 with autism, 6 typical kids eating the special diet, and 5 typical kids eating normally. After 12 weeks, children with autism who ate the anti-inflammatory diet showed improvements in learning, attention, and thinking skills. Their blood tests also showed lower levels of inflammation markers. Typical children showed smaller improvements with fewer changes in their blood work. This suggests that special diets might work differently for autistic children than for other kids, and doctors might be able to predict who will benefit most by testing their blood.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating foods that reduce inflammation in the body could improve thinking and learning skills in children with autism, and whether their blood chemistry would change in specific ways.
  • Who participated: A small group of 22 children ages 6-17: 11 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, 6 typically developing children who followed the special diet, and 5 typically developing children who ate their normal diet.
  • Key finding: Children with autism who followed the anti-inflammatory diet for 12 weeks showed meaningful improvements in learning, word skills, attention, and thinking abilities. Their blood tests showed significant drops in inflammation markers. Typical children showed smaller improvements with minimal blood changes.
  • What it means for you: If your child has autism, this research suggests that a carefully planned anti-inflammatory diet might help improve their thinking and learning. However, this is early research with a small group, so talk to your doctor before making major diet changes. Not all children respond the same way, and doctors may eventually be able to predict who will benefit most by testing blood markers.

The Research Details

This was a controlled study where researchers compared three groups of children over 12 weeks. One group of children with autism followed a special anti-inflammatory diet (foods designed to reduce body inflammation). A second group of typical children also followed this diet. A third group of typical children ate their normal diet and served as a comparison. Before and after the 12 weeks, all children took thinking and learning tests, and researchers measured specific substances in their blood that indicate inflammation and metabolism.

The researchers used advanced statistical methods to analyze the results, including a technique called Bayesian analysis that helps determine how confident they can be in their findings. They also looked at how the blood markers connected to the thinking improvements, creating network maps to show which inflammation markers were most important.

This approach is important because it looks at both what happens in the body (blood markers) and what happens in the mind (thinking skills) at the same time. This helps researchers understand the actual biological mechanisms—the ‘why’ behind improvements. By comparing autistic children to typical children, the study reveals that the diet may work through different biological pathways depending on whether someone has autism. This precision approach could eventually help doctors predict which children will benefit most from dietary changes.

This study has both strengths and limitations. Strengths include that it measured multiple biological markers and cognitive abilities, used advanced statistical methods, and compared different groups. The main limitation is the very small sample size (only 22 children total), which means results should be considered preliminary. The study was not randomized (children weren’t randomly assigned to groups), which can introduce bias. The short 12-week timeframe tells us about immediate effects but not long-term outcomes. These factors mean the findings are promising but need confirmation in larger studies before being widely recommended.

What the Results Show

Children with autism who followed the anti-inflammatory diet showed the strongest results. Their blood tests revealed significant decreases in four inflammation markers: IFN-gamma, RANTES, CXCL1, and TMAO. The statistical evidence for these decreases was very strong, meaning researchers are confident these changes really happened and weren’t due to chance.

More importantly, these blood changes matched up with improvements in thinking skills. Children with autism showed gains in verbal learning (remembering words and information), semantic fluency (finding the right words quickly), verbal reasoning (thinking through problems with words), attention (focusing on tasks), and visuoconstructive abilities (building and drawing things). These improvements were meaningful—they represented real, measurable gains in how well children could think and learn.

In contrast, typical children who followed the same diet showed much smaller improvements in thinking skills and almost no changes in their inflammation markers. The typical children who ate their normal diet showed no changes in either thinking or blood markers, which is what researchers expected.

The research revealed that TMAO (a metabolic marker) was particularly important for predicting changes in executive function—the ability to plan, organize, and switch between tasks. In children with autism, TMAO changes explained more than half of the variation in executive function improvements.

The researchers created network maps showing how the different inflammation markers connected to each other and to thinking improvements. In children with autism, two markers—CXCL1 and RANTES—appeared to be central hubs, meaning they were most strongly connected to improvements in multiple thinking skills. This suggests these two markers might be key targets for future treatments.

When researchers divided children into ‘responders’ (those who improved significantly) and ’non-responders’ (those who didn’t improve much), they found clear differences. Responders showed larger coordinated decreases in all four inflammation markers and broader improvements across multiple thinking domains. This suggests that children whose bodies respond most strongly to the diet by reducing inflammation are also most likely to show thinking improvements.

Previous research has suggested that inflammation in the brain and body may contribute to some of the thinking and learning challenges in autism. This study builds on that work by showing that reducing inflammation through diet may actually improve thinking skills. However, most previous studies looked at inflammation markers alone without measuring thinking changes. This study is unique in connecting biological changes directly to cognitive improvements. The finding that autism and typical development show different responses to the same diet is new and suggests that one-size-fits-all dietary recommendations may not be appropriate.

This study has several important limitations. First, the sample size is very small (only 22 children), which means results could change with a larger group. Second, children weren’t randomly assigned to groups, so we can’t be completely sure the diet caused the improvements rather than other factors. Third, the study only lasted 12 weeks, so we don’t know if improvements continue, stay the same, or fade over time. Fourth, the study didn’t include detailed information about how strictly children followed the diet or what specific foods they ate. Finally, the study measured many different outcomes, which increases the chance of finding results by coincidence rather than real effects. These limitations mean this research is promising but preliminary.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, an anti-inflammatory diet may help some children with autism improve their thinking and learning skills. However, confidence in this recommendation is moderate because the study is small and preliminary. If you’re considering this approach: (1) Talk to your child’s doctor or a registered dietitian before starting, (2) Understand that not all children will respond the same way, (3) Give the diet at least 8-12 weeks to see if it helps, (4) Track specific thinking skills (like attention or word-finding) to measure progress, (5) Consider blood testing to see if your child’s inflammation markers decrease, as this may predict who will benefit most. For typical children without autism, this research suggests minimal cognitive benefits from an anti-inflammatory diet, so it’s not recommended as a thinking-improvement strategy for them.

This research is most relevant for parents and doctors working with children who have autism spectrum disorder, particularly those interested in dietary approaches to support cognitive development. It may also interest researchers studying the connection between inflammation and autism. This research is NOT recommended as a basis for dietary changes in typical children without autism, as they showed minimal benefits. Children with other developmental conditions should not assume these results apply to them without consulting their doctor. This research is not appropriate for self-diagnosis or treatment without professional guidance.

Based on this study, if an anti-inflammatory diet is going to help, improvements in thinking skills may appear within 8-12 weeks. However, individual children vary greatly. Some may show improvements sooner, while others may need longer. Blood marker changes (inflammation reduction) may appear before thinking improvements become obvious. It’s important to give the approach adequate time and to track progress carefully rather than expecting immediate results.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track specific thinking skills weekly using simple tests: (1) Verbal fluency—have your child name as many animals as possible in one minute and record the number, (2) Attention—use a simple focus task like reading a paragraph and counting specific words, (3) Memory—read a short list of 10 words and test recall after 5 minutes. Record results weekly to see if scores improve over 12 weeks.
  • Work with a dietitian to implement an anti-inflammatory diet that includes: more colorful vegetables and fruits, fish rich in omega-3s, whole grains, and reduced processed foods and added sugars. Use the app to log meals daily and track which foods your child tolerates well. Set a goal of following the diet consistently for at least 12 weeks before evaluating results.
  • Create a dashboard tracking three elements: (1) Diet adherence—percentage of meals following anti-inflammatory guidelines, (2) Cognitive markers—weekly scores on the simple thinking tests mentioned above, (3) Health markers—if available, track blood test results for inflammation markers at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Look for coordinated improvements across all three areas, as the research suggests that blood marker improvements predict thinking improvements.

This research is preliminary and based on a small study of 22 children. It should not be used as the sole basis for medical decisions. Before making significant dietary changes for your child, especially if they have autism or any medical condition, consult with your child’s pediatrician, a registered dietitian, or a developmental specialist. This research does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Individual children respond differently to dietary changes, and what works for one child may not work for another. If your child has food allergies, sensory sensitivities, or other medical conditions, dietary changes require professional guidance. This article is for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice.