Social and economic difficulties of patients with food intolerances

Introduction:
The basic method of treating food hypersensitivity is the elimination diet, which is difficult for the patient in many ways.

Aim:
To identify the main problems faced by patients with symptoms of food intolerance.

Material and methods:
The survey was conducted from February 2021 to December 2021. The survey was posted in Polish thematic groups on Facebook, dedicated to people with food intolerances. The survey contained 34 questions about food intolerances and the use of elimination diets. Questions about the cost of the diet and difficulties in applying the elimination diet were included.

Results:
There was no statistically significant relationship between the type of food intolerance and the body mass index of patients. It was found that people with lactose intolerance had a lower increase in food expenditure since the introduction of the diet than those without lactose intolerance. Almost half of the respondents did not find a difference in expenses. 21% of respondents noticed an increase of PLN 50–100/month, 19% – PLN 10–50/month, and only 6% above PLN 200/month. Circumstances where following an elimination diet is a particular challenge included intense private and professional lifestyle, prolonged stay away from home, and lack of time to prepare meals at home.

Conclusions:
The difficulties in maintaining an elimination diet are dependent on the patient’s work and lifestyle. The cost of equivalents of intolerant products is also an important factor to consider when analysing the source of problems in maintaining the diet.