The problems of long-term adherence to elimination diets in children with food allergies

Abstract

In recent years, the challenge of the control and maintenance of nutritional status in patients on an elimination diet for food allergies has got a lot of attention. Due to the possibility of long-term elimination of important food groups without adequate replacement, the high efficiency of this treatment method has been linked with the risk of nutritional deficiency, impaired physical growth, and eating behavior disorders in children. This review takes into account physical growth disorders in children with food allergies due to insufficient intake of micronutrients (vitamins, fatty acids), as well as such behavioral disorders as a distortion of food and taste preferences and food neophobia. We also discuss the problems of artificial mixture choice in children who are in their first year of life, correction of the diet in children over one year of age with micronutrient supplementation, as well as the results of studies on the quality of life of both children with elimination diets and people from their families. When prescribing an elimination diet, the doctor must constantly monitor the diet and growth indices of the child. It is necessary to take to into account the childs age, his nutritional requirements, and possible deficiencies of nutrients while planning the diet, as well as determine the necessary and sufficient diet duration.