Systematic Review of the Incidence and/or Prevalence of Eating Disorders in Individuals With Food Allergies.

Background: Chronic diseases involving strict dietary adherence have been associated with an increased risk of eating disorders (EDs). This is the first systematic review investigating the rate of EDs among individuals with food allergies (FAs).

Objective: To report the incidence, prevalence, and types of EDs in individuals with FAs.

Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched 4 databases for studies published to January 2022 that reported the prevalence or incidence of EDs in samples with immunoglobulin E (IgE) or non-IgE-mediated allergy. Risk of bias was assessed and evidence qualitatively synthesized.

Results: From 1,180 papers identified, 9 met inclusion criteria. There were 4,161 adult and pediatric participants with IgE-mediated FAs or eosinophilic esophagitis. Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) or anorexia nervosa/bulimia nervosa were the main EDs identified. The prevalence of EDs in samples with FA ranged from 0.8% to 62.9%. Among studies investigating IgE-mediated FA (n = 6), the prevalence of anorexia nervosa and/or bulimia nervosa ranged from 17.6 to 61%, ARFID was 62.9%, and unspecified EDs was 0.8% to 6%. Among samples with eosinophilic esophagitis (n = 3), ARFID prevalence ranged from 4.5% to 51%. Most studies were limited by small sample size, possible selection bias, and lack of diagnostic EDs tools validated for food allergic populations.

Conclusions: Eating disorders appear prevalent in individuals with FA; however, prevalence estimates varied widely. Large studies with healthy control groups and validated measures to identify EDs in individuals with FA are needed to accurately determine the prevalence of EDs.