Evaluation of Nutritional Habits and Quality of Life of Mothers of Children With Metabolic Diseases Requiring a Restricted Diet

Restricted diet therapy is the cornerstone of treatment in many hereditary metabolic disorders. This study evaluated the effects of dietary treatments for affected children on the dietary habits, lifestyle, quality of life, and stress levels of their mothers. The study included 50 mothers of children aged 2 to 18 years with phenylketonuria, organic acidemias, urea cycle defects, or galactosemia, and 32 mothers of healthy children. Mothers completed a demographic and lifestyle questionnaire, the Short Form-36 Quality-of-Life questionnaire, and the Perceived Stress Scale. More than half of the mothers in the patient group reported modifying their own diets to align with their child's restrictions, while some adopted vegetarian or vegan diets. Many reported limiting social activities, and 18% had quit their jobs to manage dietary treatment. Mothers of affected children showed significantly higher stress scores and lower quality-of-life scores than controls.