Table 4.
Odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of the relationships between the number of identified food allergens and selected lifestyle behaviors.
| Allergy to 1 Food Item | Allergy to 2–4 Food Items | Allergy to Numerous Food Items | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allergenic foods were eliminated from the diet for more than 6 months (ref. for 3 months or less). | 1.08 (0.84–1.19) | 1.39 * (1.20–1.54) | 1.89 ** (1.33–2.19) |
| The elimination diet was recommended by a pediatrician and consulted with a dietician (ref. the elimination diet was recommended by a pediatrician, but not consulted with a dietician). |
1.02 (0.89–1.16) | 1.13 (1.02–1.24) | 1.36 * (1.11–1.57) |
| Allergenic foods were replaced with safe substitutes to minimize the loss of nutrients (ref. safe substitutes were not used). | 1.09 (1.01–1.23) | 0.81 * (0.67–0.96) | 1.54 * (1.39–1.78) |
| When shopping for food, I always read food allergen labels (ref. I sporadically read food allergen labels). | 1.13 (0.97–1.24) | 1.36 * (1.09–1.57) | 1.79 ** (1.41–2.27) |
| I always buy a different product if a given food product contains allergenic ingredients (ref. I sporadically buy other food products). | 074 * (0.63–0.91) | 1.05 (0.93–1.27) | 1.38 * (1.22–1.59) |
| I often buy food products that may contain trace amounts of allergenic ingredients (ref. I never buy such products). | 1.04 (0.93–1.15) | 1.30 * (1.19–1.43) | 0.51 ** (0.41–0.72) |
| Frequent consumption of small amounts of allergenic foods does not pose a health threat (ref. both sporadic and frequent consumption of allergenic foods is dangerous for the child). | 1.37 * (1.15–1.49) | 1.08 (1.01–1.14) | 1.14 (1.03–1.26) |
The odds ratios were adjusted for the duration of the elimination diet and its safety, depending on the number of allergens, excluding the modeled variable from the confounder set. The confounding factor was the classification and correct assessment of the number of allergens in the child’s diet. For example, one allergen was defined as a food product containing cow’s-milk proteins, egg proteins, soybeans, nuts, fish, and wheat allergens, as well as other products containing allergens other than those mentioned. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01—level of significance assessed by Wald’s test.