Foods perceived by adults as causing adverse reactions.
This study was undertaken to identify differences in offending foods reported by 45 patients with classic symptoms of food allergy and/or subjective food-related complaints not traditionally associated with food allergy. On the basis of a comprehensive clinical history, skin testing, and double-blind food challenges, patients were diagnosed as having confirmed (n = 22) or unconfirmed (n = 23) adverse reactions to foods. The majority of patients in both groups were women-17 of those with confirmed reactions and 21 of those with unconfirmed reactions. Individuals with confirmed reactions were significantly younger, 34.8 +/- 10.9 years, than those with unconfirmed reactions, 41.5 +/- 9.6 years. The symptoms and reaction patterns of adults with confirmed reactions were generally consistent with immunoglobulin E-mediated food hypersensitivity. Individuals with unconfirmed reactions were more likely to report frequently occurring, delayed-onset symptoms of a nonspecific nature, and they had an average of five times as many foods causing adult-onset symptoms than those with confirmed reactions. Adults with confirmed reactions more often reported common food allergens such as tree nuts, legumes, and crustaceans; those with unconfirmed reactions were more apt to name foods not commonly implicated in adult food allergies confirmed by conventional diagnostic methods. The types of offending foods reported suggested that individuals with unconfirmed reactions were influenced by the popular news media and clinical ecology-oriented literature. Their use of nutrition supplements was consistent with the attitude of health activism. Such individuals may seek nontraditional health care or adopt questionable dietary practices. Individuals with adverse food reactions of a nonspecific nature pose challenging problems to dietitians.
Parker
S L
SL
Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Krondl
M
M
Coleman
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012882:Skin Tests