Children with food allergies smaller than non-allergic counterparts

Monday, 12 July 2010 10:34

An assessment of food intakes and nutritional status of children with food allergies following an elimination diet has recently been conducted by researchers in France. The study included close to 100 food-allergic children with an average age of around 5 yrs, and paired controls of children without food allergies.

Nutrient intake assessment was based on a 3-day diet record and intakes of energy, protein and calcium were found to be similar in the two groups. However, nutritional status, assessed using weight and height measurements, indicated that children with food allergies had weight-for-age and height-for-age Z scores lower than controls. Furthermore, children with 3 or more food allergies were smaller than those with 2 or less food allergies.

Reference: Flammarion et al. 2010. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2010.01028.x