Associations between autistic and comorbid somatic problems of gastrointestinal disorders, food allergy, pain, and fatigue in adults.

All autism and somatic outcomes were self-reported, not clinician assessed, so reporting style or symptom awareness may influence results. The study used cross-sectional data, so it cannot show whether autism symptoms led to somatic problems, somatic problems led to autism symptoms, or both were influenced by another factor. The probable autism group was only 1.2% of the sample, so some subgroup findings, especially likely food allergy, may reflect too few participants rather than a true absence of association. The sample was drawn from a Dutch general population cohort and included adults across the autism continuum, not only people diagnosed by clinicians, so it may not match a referred clinical population. There was no community involvement in the study.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study used Lifelines Cohort Study data, supported by Dutch government and research organizations, the University Medical Center Groningen, the University of Groningen, the Dutch Kidney Foundation, and the Dutch Diabetes Research Foundation. One author received a joint scholarship from the China Scholarship Council and the University of Groningen. The funders had no role in the study design, data analysis, or manuscript writing.

Do not conclude that autism symptoms cause IBS, food allergy, pain, or fatigue. The study measured associations at one time using self-reported autism symptoms and self-reported somatic outcomes, so it cannot establish cause, direction, or that any intervention would work.