offendingfood, or food ingredient, is recommended
every 3-6 months to test whether the sensitivity still
persists.
Many people who have been motivated to change
their diet in an attempt to relieve the effects of food
sensitivity will remain interested in maintaining good
nutritional health and continue to eat well. A well-
balanced food sensitivity diet can still be rich in fibre,
vitaminsandminerals, all of which are vital for good
brain and body functioning as well as reducing the risk of
developing certain cancers and cardiovascular disease.
Precautions
Very young children and babies should not have
any dietary restrictions imposed upon them unless
they are clinically indicated and are supervised by a
Doctor and Dietitian. The restricted nutrient intake
that might result can significantly compromise child-
ren’s growth and development.
The same risk applies to older children and ado-
lescents because of their high requirements needed to
sustain good physical growth and mental development
Women planning a pregnancy, are already preg-
nant or are breast feeding should also avoid any diet-
ary restrictions, unless recommended by a Doctor or
Dietitian, as they can compromise nutrient intakes
and ultimately the health of both mother and baby.
Individuals suffering from any chronic medical
condition or recovering from surgery should not fol-
low a restricted diet without medical supervision as
this can exacerbate symptoms and slow down recovery
and wound healing.
Risks
The most nutritionally balanced diet is one that
includes a wide range of different foods and so the
main risk attached to the food sensitivity diet depends
on the particular restrictions involved. In some cases,
avoidance of the offending foods is nutritionally insig-
nificant and can be easily excluded eg.caffeinedrinks
and strawberries.
The greatest nutritional risk is associated with the
exclusion of entire food groups, such as dairy foods and
gluten-containing cereals. Gluten-free diets can be low in
fibre, which is needed for good bowel function and helps
to protect against cardiovascular disease, and cows milk-
free diets can be low incalciumandiodine,whichare
important for bone strength and brain function.
Advice from a Dietitian should ideally be sought
to ensure nutritional adequacy and allow discussion of
suitable substitute foods and dietary supplements,
where appropriate.
A final point worth mentioning is that substitute
foods are not always available, are usually more
expensive and following these diets can make eating
out and social occasions more difficult.Research and general acceptanceThe subject of food sensitivity remains conten-
tious, with many healthcare professionals debating
its prevalence. The lack of well designed clinical trials
and the huge increase in self-diagnosis has certainly
made it difficult to establish the true incidence and
aetiology of food sensitivity. Another problem is that
conditions can go undiagnosed if individuals self-
diagnose food intolerances or rely on dubious tests.
Research findings support the view that some
sensitive individuals can react badly to certain food
additives but intolerance to major food groups has
been difficult to evaluate. Those trials that have dem-
onstrated improvements on a gluten-free and casein-
free diets have not taken into account the other
changes that have occurred in the diet and are often
assessed by parents and carers, making their findings
subjective.
Fundamentally in cases of food sensitivity the diet
needs to be fully assessed to see what is missing, in
terms of foods that provide key nutrients, as well as
what is being included that could be triggering an
intolerance.Resources
PERIODICALS
Bateman et al. ‘‘The effects of a double-blind, placebo-
controlled, artificial food colourings and benzoate
preservative challenge on hyperactivity in a general
population sample of pre-school children.’’Archives of
Disease in Childhood 89: p506-511.QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR
DOCTOR How do I know if I have a food sensitivity?
How do you test for food sensitivity?
Could probiotics help?
Do I need to take calcium supplements if I follow
a dairy-free diet?
What are the best sources of fibre in a gluten-free
diet?Food sensitivities