Higher Intake of Nutrients with Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects among Children with Cow's Milk Allergy According to the Degree of Elimination.

Abstract

Children with cow's milk allergy (CMA) have lower bone mineral density and shorter height than children without CMA or non-food allergy (FA), and their final height is also affected. Appropriate nutritional guidance for CMA children is therefore needed. The purpose of this study was to conduct a dietary survey of CMA children and to compare their characteristics according to the degree of elimination. A dietary survey of FA children attending the allergy clinic at Shiga Medical Center for Children, Shiga, Japan, was conducted using the brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire for Japanese children and adolescents (BDHQ15y). To objectively assess the intake of fruit and vegetables, skin carotenoid levels were measured using the Veggie Meter^®. Regarding the degree of CM elimination, of the 147 FA children (89 boys, 58 girls) recruited, 38, 27, and 82 children were allocated to complete-, partial-, and non-elimination groups, respectively. In analyzing the data, boys and girls were combined because there was no difference in sex ratio among the groups. Significantly lower intakes of calcium, animal proteins, and vitamin B2 were observed with increasing degree of CM elimination. Conversely, significantly greater intakes of vegetable proteins, β carotene, α tocopherol, vitamin C, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, as well as significantly higher levels of skin carotenoids, were observed with increasing degree of CM elimination. Intakes of many nutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects were higher with increasing degree of CM elimination, presumably reflecting the efforts of caregivers in identifying alternative foods. However, calcium intake was still inadequate, indicating a need for further encouragement of calcium intake in CMA children.