Abstract
Eczema and food allergy may impact diet. Using data from a cohort of Manitoba children born in 1995, we examined calcium intake, defined as the frequency and quality of calcium products consumed (with the exception of cheese), amongst Manitoba adolescents (12–14 years) with eczema or food allergy in childhood (7–8 years) or adolescence. At both ages, children were assessed by a physician for eczema and food allergy. Adolescents completed food frequency questionnaires. Calcium intake was defined as 1+ vs. <1 weekly. Linear and logistic regression was used as appropriate, with adjustments for confounders. Overall, 468 adolescents were included, of whom 62 (13.3%) had eczema only in childhood, 25 (5.3%) had food allergy only, and 26 (5.6%) had eczema and food allergy. Compared to children without eczema, those with eczema only had poorer calcium intake in adolescence (β −0.44; 95%CI −0.96; 0.00). Girls, but not boys, with eczema in childhood had poorer calcium intake in adolescence than girls without eczema (β −0.84; 95%CI −1.60; −0.08). These patterns persisted even if children experienced transient vs. persistent eczema to adolescence. Similar but non-significant trends were found for food allergy. Childhood eczema is associated with significantly lower calcium intake and consumption in adolescence. These differences persist to adolescence, even if a child “outgrows” their allergic condition.
Highlights
The allergic diseases, eczema and food allergy, affect a large number of children
As dietary intake may be influenced by body mass index (BMI), we considered BMI in childhood and adolescence as appropriate for the various analyses
We provide evidence that querying “dairy” or “calcium” without consideration to the foods included in this category may inadequately capture adolescents’ calcium intake and fail to capture nutritionally and statistically significant differences between adolescents with and without food allergy
Summary
The allergic diseases, eczema and food allergy, affect a large number of children. As many as 15%–30% of children live with eczema [1] and 4%–10% of children are directly affected by food allergy [2] These diseases often involve dietary exclusions, the results of which are inconclusive for eczema [3], but essential for food allergy, in an attempt to minimise accidental—and potentially fatal—reactions [2]. These exclusions may impact diet quality [4], nutrient intake [4,5,6] and nutrient demands [7]. Milk is the most commonly avoided food amongst those with eczema [10] and a common allergen
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
