Benefits and risks of elimination diets

Elimination diets have been used for the prevention or treatment of allergi c disease with the diet of the pregnant or breastfeeding mother on the chil d, or both, being modulated as deemed appropriate. Evidence from studies pu blished so far suggests that dietary restrictions are in fact effective onl y in the treatment of specific food allergies, not in allergy prevention. A n elimination diet of a child or a breastfeeding mother entails a risk to n ormal nutrition and growth of the child. Although studies are lacking, diet ary restrictions during lactation may well be harmful also to the mother's health. Substitution of nutritionally important foods and professional guid ance are necessary for the successful treatment of food allergies.