title: Systematic review of nutrient intake and growth in children with multiple IgE-mediated food allergies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Food allergies affect up to 8% of American children. The current recommended treatment for food allergies is strict elimination of the allergens from the diet. Dietary elimination of nutrient-dense foods may result in inadequate nutrient intake and impaired growth. The purpose of this review was to critically analyze available research on the effect of an elimination diet on nutrient intake and growth in children with multiple food allergies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of the literature was conducted and a workgroup was established to critically analyze each relevant article. The findings were summarized and a conclusion was generated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six studies were analyzed. One study found that children with food allergies are more likely to be malnourished than children without food allergies. Three studies found that children with multiple food allergies were shorter than children with 1 food allergy. Four studies assessed nutrient intake of children with multiple food allergies, but the inclusion and comparison criteria were different in each of the studies and the findings were conflicting. One study found that children with food allergies who did not receive nutrition counseling were more likely to have inadequate intake of calcium and vitamin D.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with multiple food allergies have a higher risk of impaired growth and may have a higher risk of inadequate nutrient intake than children without food allergies. Until more research is available, we recommend monitoring of nutrition and growth of children with multiple food allergies to prevent possible nutrient deficiencies and to optimize growth.
authors.affiliation: Cassandra Sova, CD, CNSC, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, P.O. Box 1997, MS B610, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1997, USA. Email: csova@chw.org.
authors.forename: Cassandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sova
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Feuling
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumler
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gleason
authors.forename: Jonathan S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zafra
authors.forename: Praveen S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Goday
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards; D004041:Dietary Fats; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications* / Q000178:diet therapy; D006128:Growth; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004041:Dietary Fats; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: food hypersensitivity; micronutrient; nutrition therapy; soy foods; vitamin