[dathinab]

putting aside what others have commented about the truastability of studies and similar

- what all studies show is some vague "craving" for something generic, e.g. the link between iron deficiency and craving for ice

- but what you see in autists is often a far stronger effect and not just for eating something, but also against eating most other food. A craving for chocolate does not remove appetite and willingness to eat other food. It just makes you really want to eat chocolate.

- more important the way autistic people get fixated on a monotonous diet is far more specific then any effects we have observed from gut bacteria or other similar sources AFIK. Like lets say your gut bacteria might make you crave fish. You autism on the other hand might make you crave dino formed fish sticks with a specific texture. And there is just no way gut bacteria care about your fish sticks being dino formed or the specific texture of them... But a autistic person often does care, quite a bit even.

[Aurornis]

Yes, restrictive behaviors and powerful adherence to familiar routines are a general feature of autism. It’s not specific to food. The comments trying to draw complex links between food cravings and these behaviors are missing the fact that this type of behavior is not limited to foods. Food is only one area where it might manifest.

[dgeiser13]

Mine is just an anecdotal experience but I have Asperger's and the reason I eat the same food is not about disliking other food. I actually like most food. I eat the same stuff because:

1) Eating the same food frequently means I don't have to spend any of my cognitive cycles on deciding what to eat.

2) I know that this food will sit alright with my digestive system. Everyone I know personally on the spectrum has stress-related digestive issues.

For snacks and small meals I will eat citrus or microwave a small sweet potato and this helps with Vitamin C.

Autistic adults are not children and using dino-shaped fish sticks probably does not represent most adults on the spectrum.