Thin Bones Seen in Boys with Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Thin Bones Seen in Boys with Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder National Institutes of Health Media Release; January 29, 2008 http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/nichd-29.htm Results of an early study suggest that dairy-free diets and unconventional food preferences could put boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at higher than normal risk for thinner, less dense bones when compared to a group of boys the same age who do not have autism. The study, by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, was published online in the "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders". The researchers believe that boys with autism and ASD are at risk for poor bone development for a number of reasons. These factors are lack of exercise, a reluctance to eat a varied diet, lack of vitamin D, digestive problems, and diets that exclude casein, a protein found in milk and milk products. Dairy products provide a significant source of calcium and vitamin D. Casein-free diets are a controversial treatment thought by some to lessen the symptoms of autism. Funding for the study was provided by the NIH's National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and National Center for Research Resources. The research team that conducted the study was led by L. Hediger, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist in NICHD's Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research.Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live. Get it now!