# Impact of Childhood Food Allergy on Quality of Life: A Systematic Review
## 4 Discussion
[52] found that participating parents expressed frustration because food allergies were not taken seriously, were misunderstood, and were not given adequate attention. They also called for greater awareness and sensitivity from other parents and teachers to protect allergic children. It is important to acknowledge the limitations of this review. Firstly, the majority of the studies reviewed did not differentiate between different types of food allergies, instead considering them as a global category. The absence of a distinction between specific allergies precludes a more comprehensive examination of potential discrepancies in the impact of each type of allergy on the quality of life. The inability to compare these different allergens constrains the specificity and relevance of the conclusions drawn. Secondly, although the objective of this review was to include only studies on children aged 0 to 9 years, many of the studies included in the review also encompassed adolescents. Despite efforts to isolate results pertaining specifically to the younger population, some of the results may not be entirely reliable due to the varying age cut-off points used in different studies. Consequently, comparisons across studies with disparate age group definitions may introduce inconsistencies in the findings. A further limitation of this review is that the studies included primarily focused on the overall impact of food allergies on quality of life, without considering variables such as gender. In many instances, studies either did not provide a gender breakdown or failed to make meaningful comparisons between male and female participants. Consequently, this review was unable to address the potential for gender differences in the impact of food allergies on quality of life, a relevant factor that remains unexplored in the majority of the reviewed literature. Moreover, the heterogeneity of study designs employed in the selected research represents another limitation. The methodologies employed in the reviewed studies varied, introducing variability and complicating the generation of unified conclusions. The diversity of study designs may have affected the overall coherence of the results. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that the terms \"quality of life\" (QoL) and \"health-related quality of life\" (HRQoL) were frequently used interchangeably, which could have led to potential misinterpretations of the findings. Nevertheless, despite these limitations, this review offers valuable insights into the overall impact of food allergies on the quality of life of children and their families. By synthesizing data from a range of studies published in the past five years, we were able to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by families affected by childhood food allergies. Moreover, the review identifies significant gaps in the existing literature. These include the necessity for more focused research on specific allergy types, more precise delineations between different age groups, and a more profound examination of gender differences. These findings can inform future research endeavors and contribute to the development of targeted interventions to enhance the quality of life for children with food allergies. Furthermore, in most of the studies published in the past five years, a disproportionate number of family members or caregivers participating in the studies were mothers. This demographic bias may limit the generalizability of the findings, as the perspectives of other family members, such as fathers or caregivers from diverse backgrounds, were underrepresented. For future research, it would be valuable to include more fathers in studies to determine whether the finding that mothers are the most affected is accurate or if this reflects the predominance of studies focusing exclusively on mothers. There is also a clear need for further investigation into potential gender differences among children with food allergies, as no studies were found that explore this aspect in depth.