[Food allergy in the child: an exploratory study on the impact of the elimination diet on food neophobia].

Objectives: This study was designed to analyse the impact of an elimination diet in children with food allergy, and its perception by their parents on the later reticence of children to test unknown foods, food neophobia.

Methods: The degree of food neophobia of children having outgrown their allergy (mean age, 7 years 2 months) was compared to that of a sibling (9 years 5 months) using a standardized scale and a questionnaire of food friendliness. Parents were also asked to fill in a questionnaire on the disease and its burden on the family.

Results: Children having outgrown their allergy are more reluctant to test new foods than their non-allergic brother or sister, as shown by their scoring on the food neophobia scale and the number of unknown foods following the cure of the disease. Two factors increase the level of food neophobia, the distressing effect and the duration of the period elapsed until the diagnosis was made, as well as the distressing effect and the lack of variety in the meal preparation.

Conclusion: Food neophobia, a normal phase between 2 and 10 years, is worsened by the elimination diet required by food allergy, especially in case of late diagnosis and when the time elapsed before diagnosis and the preparation of meals were perceived as difficult to bear.