By Partick Holford, Founder of Food for the Brain
Something concerning is happening to our children—an increasing number are experiencing psychological and behavioural challenges, often diagnosed as autism. These challenges range from reduced eye contact and language delays to social difficulties, cognitive struggles, emotional meltdowns, aggression, and, in some cases, depression. But what is driving this surge?
While mainstream medicine largely attributes autism to genetics, explaining the rise as improved diagnostic recognition, a growing body of independent researchers and clinicians in the US and UK suggests otherwise. The rapid increase in cases across multiple countries cannot be solely explained by genetics, as genes do not change so quickly.
In the US, autism rates have skyrocketed from 2 in 10,000 to 1 in 36[i] over 50 years. In the UK, official government data estimates 1 in 62 children are classified as autistic—an eightfold increase in 20 years. [ii] Meanwhile, school census data from Scotland[iii] and Northern Ireland[iv] report even higher rates, with 1 in 20 children diagnosed. These numbers strongly indicate that environmental factors, including diet, play a key role. This also suggests that proactive steps could help reduce risk.
New Approaches Show Encouraging Results
Dr. Chris D’Adamo, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Director of the Centre for Integrative Medicine, has been at the forefront of research into environmental influences on autism. His recent paper, published in Personalized Medicine, estimates a 300% rise in autism cases since 2000. The study also documents a case where early intervention reversed autism symptoms by addressing modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors.
The case involved twin toddler girls exhibiting classic autistic traits—limited communication, repetitive behaviours, resistance to change, and severe gastrointestinal issues. Under a comprehensive program led by a team of physicians, tailored interventions focused on diet, environment and lifestyle. The results were striking: within months, both girls showed dramatic improvements. Their autism severity scores dropped significantly, with one twin’s score reducing from 76 to 32 and the other from 43 to just 4. [v]
In the UK, Dr. Lorene Amet, a functional nutritionist and founder of The Lauriston Centre, has been applying similar integrative approaches. She has worked with hundreds of families, with remarkable success.
A survey conducted by the charity Thinking Autism in 2014[vi], involving similar dietary guidance, and written up into a report by academics at Queen Mary, University of London in 2016, found that, out of 237 families who reported using various dietary interventions with their children with autism, 170 families reported either ‘life-changing’ or ‘significant’ improvements, while only 12 children saw no noticeable change.
Yet, despite such promising results, the NHS maintains that autism has no cure and advises against interventions such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary modifications. [vii] The NICE guidelines currently offer no targeted nutritional strategies for autism management, leaving many parents with limited options. [viii]
Can Autism Risk Be Reduced Before Birth?
Another key consideration is prevention—reducing the likelihood of autism before birth. Research led by Associate Professor Michelle Murphy of the Universitat Rovira I Virgili in Spain has revealed a crucial link between B vitamin deficiencies in early pregnancy and a child’s likelihood of developing autism-related traits. Her studies show that children of mothers who were low in B vitamins before conception were significantly more likely to display withdrawn behaviour, anxiety, depression, or aggression by age six. [ix]
The connection between maternal nutrition and neurological development is well established. For decades, pregnant women have been advised to take folic acid to prevent neural tube defects—a policy delayed by 25 years, resulting in hundreds of thousands of avoidable birth defects. Children with autism are six times more likely to have neural tube defects[x], further linking B vitamin deficiencies to neurodevelopmental issues.
This aligns with earlier research from Oxford University’s Professor David Smith. His work demonstrated that B vitamins lower homocysteine, a toxic amino acid linked to autism, depression, cognitive impairments in children and Alzheimer’s in adults. [xi] Professor Murphy’s research further suggests that even mildly elevated homocysteine levels before pregnancy strongly predict neurodivergent traits in children. This underscores the importance of nutritional screening and intervention before conception.
What Can Parents Do?
To support further research and empower families, the charity Food for the Brain is inviting parents to take part in a free online assessment of their child’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioural function, alongside a diet and lifestyle questionnaire to help optimize brain health. Parents can also access a home test kit for homocysteine levels, providing valuable insight into potential nutritional deficiencies that may affect brain function.
As Dr Rona Tutt, OBE, a trustee of Food for the Brain and past President of the National Association of Head Teachers says: “People come in assorted shapes and sizes, with brains that are unique. A significant minority who are neurodivergent need to be recognized, valued, and supported to maximize their strengths and overcome their challenges. Understanding the factors driving the rise in neurodivergence is key to ensuring the best outcomes for future generations.”
To explore the various factors, Food for the Brain is hosting an online ‘Smart Kids’ conference on 24th April. This event will bring together leading experts to examine ways to prevent and potentially mitigate the impact of autism through environmental and nutritional interventions.
For more information on the conference, webinar, and free assessments, visit foodforthebrain.org/smartkids.
[i] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/ss/ss7202a1.htm?s_cid=ss7202a1_w
[ii] https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0612/POST-PN-0612.pdf; see also Russell G, Stapley S, Newlove-Delgado T, Salmon A, White R, Warren F, Pearson A, Ford T. Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population-based cohort study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Jun;63(6):674-682. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13505
[iii] https://www.gov.scot/publications/pupil-census-supplementary-statistics/
[iv] https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/publication-prevalence-autism-including-aspergers-syndrome-school-age-children-northern-ireland-a nnual-report-2023
[v] D’Adamo C et al., Reversal of Autism Symptoms among Dizygotic Twins through a Personalized Lifestyle and Environmental Modification Approach: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. J Pers Med. 2024 Jun 15;14(6):641. doi: 10.3390/jpm14060641
[vi] See https://www.thinkingautism.org.uk/taking-action/resources-and-publications/health-and-service-provision-for-people-with-autism/
[vii] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/autism-and-everyday-life/treatments-that-are-not-recommended-for-autism/
[viii] https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg142/chapter/Recommendations#interventions-for-autism-2
[ix] Roigé-Castellví J, Murphy M, Fernández-Ballart J, Canals J. Moderately elevated preconception fasting plasma total homocysteine is a risk factor for psychological problems in childhood. Public Health Nutr. 2019 Jun;22(9):1615-1623. doi: 10.1017/S1368980018003610; see also Murphy MM, Fernandez-Ballart JD, Molloy AM, Canals J. Moderately elevated maternal homocysteine at preconception is inversely associated with cognitive performance in children 4 months and 6 years after birth. Matern Child Nutr 2017;13,e12289 . doi: 10.1111/mcn.12289
[x] Hasler M, Fideli ÜS, Susi A, Hisle-Gorman E. Examining the relationship between autism spectrum disorder and neural tube defects. Congenit Anom (Kyoto). 2023 Jul;63(4):100-108. doi: 10.1111/cga.12516. Epub 2023 Apr 18. PMID: 37073427.
[xi] Smith AD, Refsum H. Homocysteine – from disease biomarker to disease prevention. J Intern Med. 2021 Oct;290(4):826-854. doi: 10.1111/joim.13279