Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behavioral patterns that directly impact the socio-emotional well-being of students. The gut-brain axis has been proposed as a mechanism t...

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Main Authors:	Mar, Felices Torres, María del Mar, Luque de la Rosa, Antonio
Format:	Digital
Language:	Spanish / Castilian
Published:	UNIVERSIDAD ANTONIO NARIÑO 2026
Subjects:	Trastorno del espectro autista dieta sin gluten comportamiento revisión sistemática bienestar socioemocional Autism spectrum disorder gluten-free diet behavior systematic review well-being
Online Access:	https://revistas.uan.edu.co/index.php/papeles/article/view/2458
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author	Mar Felices Torres, María del Mar Luque de la Rosa, Antonio
author_facet	Mar Felices Torres, María del Mar Luque de la Rosa, Antonio
author_sort	Mar
collection	OJS
description	Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behavioral patterns that directly impact the socio-emotional well-being of students. The gut-brain axis has been proposed as a mechanism through which a gluten-free diet (GFD) may influence behavior in individuals with ASD. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol, searching five databases (EBSCO, Dialnet, WOS, Scielo, Scopus) with Boolean combinations of “diet”, “gluten” and “autism”. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 13 studies published between 2006 and 2023 were selected. Results and discussion: The findings are heterogeneous. Most quantitative studies did not report statistically significant improvements; however, parents, teachers, and caregivers consistently noted positive changes in language, hyperactivity, social interaction, and stereotyped behaviors. Studies with longer follow-up and gastrointestinal symptom profiles showed greater benefits. Conclusions: The GFD may be a complementary therapeutic strategy for certain individuals with ASD, particularly those with gastrointestinal comorbidities. Closer collaboration among educators, families, and health professionals is essential for its successful implementation.
format	Digital
id	oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article-2458
institution	Revista PAPELES
language	Spanish / Castilian
publishDate	2026
publisher	UNIVERSIDAD ANTONIO NARIÑO
record_format	ojs
spelling	oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article-24582026-08-19T06:02:30Z Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review Dieta sin gluten y bienestar conductual en personas con trastorno del espectro autista: revisión sistemática Mar Felices Torres, María del Mar Luque de la Rosa, Antonio Trastorno del espectro autista dieta sin gluten comportamiento revisión sistemática bienestar socioemocional Autism spectrum disorder gluten-free diet behavior systematic review well-being Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behavioral patterns that directly impact the socio-emotional well-being of students. The gut-brain axis has been proposed as a mechanism through which a gluten-free diet (GFD) may influence behavior in individuals with ASD. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol, searching five databases (EBSCO, Dialnet, WOS, Scielo, Scopus) with Boolean combinations of “diet”, “gluten” and “autism”. After applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 13 studies published between 2006 and 2023 were selected. Results and discussion: The findings are heterogeneous. Most quantitative studies did not report statistically significant improvements; however, parents, teachers, and caregivers consistently noted positive changes in language, hyperactivity, social interaction, and stereotyped behaviors. Studies with longer follow-up and gastrointestinal symptom profiles showed greater benefits. Conclusions: The GFD may be a complementary therapeutic strategy for certain individuals with ASD, particularly those with gastrointestinal comorbidities. Closer collaboration among educators, families, and health professionals is essential for its successful implementation. Introducción: El trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) es una condición del neurodesarrollo caracterizada por dificultades en la interacción social y la comunicación, y por patrones de conducta repetitivos que impactan directamente en el bienestar socioemocional del alumnado. El eje intestino-cerebro ha sido propuesto como mecanismo a través del cual la dieta sin gluten (DSG) podría influir en el comportamiento de personas con TEA. Metodología: Se realizó una revisión sistemática siguiendo el protocolo PRISMA, con búsqueda en cinco bases de datos (EBSCO, Dialnet, WOS, Scielo, Scopus), mediante combinaciones booleanas de los términos “diet”, “gluten” y “autism”. Tras aplicar criterios de inclusión y exclusión, se seleccionaron 13 estudios publicados entre 2006 y 2023. Resultados y discusión: Los hallazgos son heterogéneos. La mayoría de los estudios cuantitativos no reportaron mejoras estadísticamente significativas; sin embargo, padres, docentes y cuidadores señalaron cambios positivos consistentes en lenguaje, hiperactividad, interacción social y estereotipias. Los estudios con mayor duración y perfiles gastrointestinales mostraron mayores beneficios. Conclusiones: La DSG puede ser una estrategia terapéutica complementaria para determinadas personas con TEA, especialmente aquellas con comorbilidades gastrointestinales. La colaboración entre educadores, familias y profesionales de la salud es fundamental para su implementación. UNIVERSIDAD ANTONIO NARIÑO 2026-08-19 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion application/pdf https://revistas.uan.edu.co/index.php/papeles/article/view/2458 10.54104/papeles.v18n36.2458 Papeles; Vol. 18 No. 36 (2026): Special Issue: Educational Innovation for the Enhancement of Well-being and Socio-emotional Competencies in Teaching-Learning Processes Papeles; Vol. 18 Núm. 36 (2026): Número especial: Innovación educativa para la mejora del bienestar y las competencias socioemocionales en los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje Papeles; v. 18 n. 36 (2026): Edição especial Inovação educacional para a melhoria do bem-estar e das competências socioemocionais nos processos de ensino-aprendizagem 2346-0911 0123-0670 10.54104/papeles.v18n36 es https://revistas.uan.edu.co/index.php/papeles/article/view/2458/1857 Derechos de autor 2026 María del Mar Felices Torres, Antonio Luque de la Rosa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
spellingShingle	Trastorno del espectro autista dieta sin gluten comportamiento revisión sistemática bienestar socioemocional Autism spectrum disorder gluten-free diet behavior systematic review well-being Mar Felices Torres, María del Mar Luque de la Rosa, Antonio Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
title	Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
title_alt	Dieta sin gluten y bienestar conductual en personas con trastorno del espectro autista: revisión sistemática
title_full	Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
title_fullStr	Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
title_full_unstemmed	Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
title_short	Gluten-free Diet and Behavioral Well-being in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review
title_sort	gluten free diet and behavioral well being in people with autism spectrum disorder a systematic review
topic	Trastorno del espectro autista dieta sin gluten comportamiento revisión sistemática bienestar socioemocional Autism spectrum disorder gluten-free diet behavior systematic review well-being
topic_facet	Trastorno del espectro autista dieta sin gluten comportamiento revisión sistemática bienestar socioemocional Autism spectrum disorder gluten-free diet behavior systematic review well-being
url	https://revistas.uan.edu.co/index.php/papeles/article/view/2458
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