Growth and dietary intake among children with previous cow's milk allergy

Alternative Medicine Review, March, 2006 by M.B. Karlsen, E.B. Loken, K. Mevold

BACKGROUND: Approximately 2-3% of children develop allergy or intolerance to cow's milk and many of them go on a milk-free diet for a long time. Few studies have been done on growth and dietary intake among these children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 28 children aged 6-10 who had recovered from cow's milk allergy, divided into groups "low-milk" and "ad lib milk", were compared with a control group of 32 children of same age.

Growth rates from age one and dietary intake at present age based on four days weighed dietary assessment were used. RESULTS: Among the allergic children at ages 6-10, 50% had developed tolerance to cow's milk protein, while 35% used some dairy products. A totally milk-free diet was kept by 15%; these children were excluded from the study. The children with allergy had low body weight and height at ages one, two and four and at the present age compared with the controls. The energy intake was the same in both groups. The total sample had higher intake of sugar and lower intake of vitamin D than the recommended values. The 35% of children with restricted intake of cow's milk had lower intake of calcium, riboflavin and protein. The 50% of children with ad lib intake of milk products had a diet that differed little from that of the non-allergic children. INTERPRETATION: There is a need for further studies on growth, dietary intake and development of tolerance that could give health workers better knowledge for dealing with this group of children.