Beliefs and practices among adults with eczema and carers of children with eczema regarding the role of food allergy

In this study, 211 carers of children and adults with atopic eczema/dermatitis (AE) completed an online questionnaire about diet and allergy. The study group comprised 106 children [mean age 5 years, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure (POEM) score mean ± SD 13.8 ± 7.8] and 105 adults (mean age 35 years, POEM score 14.5 ± 7.5). We found that 57% of respondents had discussed the role of diet in AE with a health professional and 38% felt this discussion was unhelpful or very unhelpful. Regarding testing, 54% reported having had an allergy test. Food exclusion was common; 68% of children and 46% of adults excluded one or more foods from their diet, with 40% of children and 52% of adults doing so to reduce AE symptoms. The most commonly avoided food among both children (63%) and adults (50%) was cow's milk. Only 17% of adults with modified diets had received dietary advice from a dietitian, compared with 57% of children. Clinicians should routinely ask patients about their views of diet in eczema and any changes that they have made, offering objective assessment where appropriate.