Paper: ‘Autistic individuals have increased risk of chronic physical health conditions across the whole body’

Paper: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13229-023-00565-2

This large international study found that autistic adolescents and adults are significantly more likely than non-autistic people to experience chronic physical health conditions across almost all organ systems. These differences remained even after accounting for lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol use, body mass index, and family medical history.

What the researchers studied

The study analysed self-reported health data from over 2,300 autistic and non-autistic adults across multiple countries. Researchers examined rates of non-communicable physical health conditions and patterns of multimorbidity, meaning the presence of multiple chronic conditions at the same time.

Key findings

• Autistic people showed significantly elevated rates of chronic physical health conditions across the whole body, including:

  • Gastrointestinal conditions

  • Neurological conditions

  • Endocrine conditions

  • Skin conditions

  • Liver and kidney conditions

  • Blood-related conditions

  • Ear, nose, throat, and visual conditions

• Neurological and gastrointestinal conditions showed especially large differences between autistic and non-autistic participants.

• Autistic individuals experienced higher levels of multimorbidity, meaning chronic conditions were more likely to cluster together rather than appear in isolation.

• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome was significantly more common in autistic women compared to non-autistic women.

• Some conditions, such as coeliac disease, initially appeared more common in autistic people, though family history explained part of this difference.

What this suggests

This study provides strong evidence that poorer physical health in autistic people is widespread and systemic, rather than limited to a small set of conditions or explained by lifestyle alone.

It supports the idea that autistic people may experience:

• Increased biological vulnerability to chronic illness

• Greater nervous system and sensory sensitivity

• Higher likelihood of overlapping conditions rather than a single diagnosis

Why this matters for neurodivergent people

Autistic individuals frequently report having physical symptoms dismissed, misattributed to anxiety, or fragmented across multiple specialties. This research shows that higher rates of physical illness are real, measurable, and consistent across organ systems, reinforcing the need for joined-up, whole-person healthcare.

It also helps explain why many neurodivergent people experience complex symptom patterns that do not fit neatly into single diagnostic categories.

What this does not mean

This study does not suggest that autism causes specific diseases, nor that lifestyle choices are responsible. It highlights patterns and associations, not inevitability.

Key takeaway

Autistic people experience significantly higher rates of chronic physical health conditions across the entire body, often involving multiple systems at once. Recognising this pattern is essential for better diagnosis, care, and recovery-informed support.