Does early food allergy influence later eating behavior? Study of adolescents in the PARIS cohort

BACKGROUND: Although the burden of early-life food allergy is well documented, its long-term impact on eating behavior has been little studied and the results are heterogeneous. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between food allergy during childhood and eating behavior in adolescence among the PARIS birth cohort. METHODS: Food allergy was assessed through parental questionnaires asking about abnormal food reactions and/or doctor-diagnosed food allergies for two age ranges: before the age of 2 and between the ages of 2 and 13. Food habits at adolescence were documented at the age of 13 using a frequency questionnaire completed by adolescents and a Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire completed by parents, including eight subscales summarized in two scores ("food approach" and "food avoidance"). The associations between food allergy and later eating habits were studied using multivariable logistic and linear regression models adjusted for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Adolescents who had experienced an early food allergy did not show greater eating difficulties than other adolescents. Conversely, they reported greater enjoyment of food, lower satiety responsiveness, and less emotional overeating. Their consumption of "basic" foods (dairy, vegetables, and starchy foods) did not differ significantly from that of other teenagers. However, they reported higher consumption of sweet foods and soda, and lower consumption of meat. CONCLUSION: While most of the literature has focused on eating difficulties, these innovative findings, suggesting a greater enjoyment of food among adolescents with a history of early food allergy, deserve to be confirmed.