Calcium intakes in individuals on diets for the management of cows' milk allergy: a case control study.
Three hundred and twenty-three individuals with self-reported food allergy were recruited by media advertisements. Questionnaire information was collected on all respondents. Chocolate (57%), milk (47%), wheat (36%) and food additives (35%) were the most frequently implicated foods. The most frequently reported symptoms were itching (43%), skin rash (43%) and tiredness (43%). Food avoidance was the most common form of food allergy diagnosis (33%) with only 8% of respondents reporting food challenge in food allergy diagnosis. Self-diagnosis was reported by 34% of respondents with 29% and 24% reporting diagnosis by a general practitioner or a homeopath, respectively. Twenty-four per cent of respondents 'always' avoided and a further 57% 'nearly always' avoided the implicated food(s). A group of 38 adults with self-reported 'milk allergy' was selected for further study. Dietary assessments, using the dietary history method, were carried out on this subgroup and on age-, sex- and occupation-matched controls. The results of the dietary assessments revealed that the 'milk allergy' group had significantly higher intakes of fibre, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron and folic acid (P < 0.05) and significantly lower intakes of calcium (P < 0.002) in comparison to controls. Eighteen per cent of the group used milk alternatives. Thirty-four per cent of the 'milk allergy' group took calcium-containing supplements. Even after calcium supplementation, the mean calcium intake of those who completely avoided milk was unacceptably low (441 mg/d).
McGowan
M
M
Department of Clinical Medicine, TCD Medical School, St. James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
Gibney
M J
MJ
D000328:Adult; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002099:Cacao / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005503:Food Additives / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014908:Triticum / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019207:beta Carotene
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005503:Food Additives; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron; D001205:Ascorbic Acid