Food exclusion may not help prevent eczema in children

Tuesday, 14 April 2009 20:40

Food allergies have often been associated with eczema in children.  However, a review of previous studies published by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare has concluded that eliminating certain foods from the diet may have little or no effect on eczema.

Researchers from the Institute studied nine randomised controlled trials that had looked at the effect of diet on eczema. Six of these trials considered avoidance of eggs and milk, whilst two considered a liquid formula diet which contained only a few selected nutrients. The remaining trial included only a small number of foods. Only two of the trials looked at adults whilst the others looked at babies and children.

The review found that 8 of the 9 trials considered did not find significant differences between those on the exclusion diet and those in the control group. The authors note that the participants on these trials were not tested for food allergies. In the other trial, babies were tested for allergic reaction to eggs before the trial started. One group then followed a four week egg-free diet whilst another ate a normal diet. Those in the egg-free group had less eczema than the control.