The incidence of some civilization diseases in families of children with food allergy/intolerance.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of chosen civilization diseases in families of children with food allergy/intolerance. We also wanted to indicate the need for developing and implementing activities preventing these diseases among children.

METHODS

On the basis of information from questionnaires, two groups of children were distinguished: a group of 80 children suffering from food allergy/intolerance on elimination diet (GR1) and a group of 67 healthy children (GR2) on regular diet. In GR1, the elimination diet with soya bean preparations or casein hydrolysates was introduced before the age of 6 months and continued for at least 12 months. A high risk of hypercholesterolemia according to extended American Academy of Pediatrics criteria including hypertension, diabetes and obesity was determined for children in both groups.

RESULTS

The research showed that 31.25% of children examined according to AAP criteria and 46.25% according to extended criteria had a positive family history of premature diseases of the circulatory system. The study proved that hypertension was the most frequent cause of morbidity in families of children from a high risk group and it was found in 67.7% of families with children on elimination diet and with a positive family history and in 78.7% of families with children from GR2 with a positive family history. Obesity, coronary heart disease, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis and diabetes were listed consecutively.

CONCLUSIONS

Once a positive family history of cardiovascular diseases is discovered, systematic education promoting health in a family and complex evaluation of physical and psychomotor development of the children should follow. Arterial blood pressure and lipid profile in serum ought to be monitored to eliminate risk factors of these diseases for children.