Food Reintroduction After Negative OFCs in Pediatrics: Dietary Frequency and Caregiver Attitudes

Author(s)

• Olivia PietrantozziFollow

Abstract

Food allergies in pediatric populations have been gradually increasing in prevalence and present significant nutritional risks requiring strict dietary management and psychosocial challenges. Oral food challenges (OFCs) serve as a gold standard in diagnosing food allergies and determining whether allergenic foods can be safely reintroduced to an individual's diet. However, caregivers of children may still experience anxiety and barriers that delay the reintroduction of foods, which can limit diet diversity and increase the child's risk of future allergy development. This study looked to evaluate the dietary frequency of allergenic food reintroduction following negative OFCs, as well as to assess changes in caregiver attitudes and barriers. Parents of children aged 0-6 who were undergoing OFC tests were recruited and completed four weeks of follow-up surveys and 24-hour dietary recalls. Results were analyzed among 33 participants who exhibited negative OFC results and completed all follow-ups, and found that most parents reintroduced allergenic foods within two weeks,  gradually increasing frequency over time. Caregiver perceptions surrounding reintroduction improved over the weeks of follow-up, with perceived scariness and difficulty levels decreasing and consistently low levels of perceived benefit and safety. Findings indicate that parents had consistent knowledge of the benefits of reintroduction, and confidence gradually increased with time and exposure. Overall, these study findings highlight the importance of interdisciplinary care in the treatment of children with food allergies. Increasing both education and counseling interventions can improve adherence to recommendations, leading to optimal health outcomes in pediatric patients.

Major

Dietetics

First Advisor

Wan Shen

First Advisor Department

Food and Nutrition

Second Advisor

HeeSoon Lee

Second Advisor Department

Social Work

Publication Date

Spring 4-25-2026

Repository Citation

Pietrantozzi, Olivia, "Food Reintroduction After Negative OFCs in Pediatrics: Dietary Frequency and Caregiver Attitudes" (2026). Honors Projects. 1128.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/honorsprojects/1128