title: Dietary habits among patients with atopic dermatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the dietary habits among adult patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis and relate intake to clinical symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from a clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five departments of dermatology at Norwegian University hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients, 46 men (median age 27 y) and 92 women (median age 28 y).
  
  
  METHODS
  A quantitative food frequency questionnaire was filled in before attending the clinical trial. The results were compared to the diet of age- and sex-matched reference groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male patients had higher content of refined sugar in their diet than reference men (P=0.014). Among female patients, the intake of saturated fatty acids was higher (P=0.049), whereas the intake of very long-chain n-3 fatty acids was lower (eicosapentaenoic acid, P=0.032, docosahexaenoic acid, P=0.017) than in the reference group. In both genders, more patients than reference subjects had vitamin D intake below recommended level. Furthermore, the female patients had significantly lower intake of fruit compared to the reference group (P=0.002). No correlation was found between nutrient intake of the patients and their clinical scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients's diet were fairly similar to the diet of reference groups. The intake of vitamin D and very long-chain n-3 fatty acids was low, especially among female patients. Furthermore, we could not detect any association between dietary habits and clinical status. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000) 54, 93-97
authors.affiliation: Institute for Nutrition Research, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Solvoll
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soyland
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sandstad
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Drevon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D014807:Vitamin D