ABSTRACT
This chapter explores restricted diets, self-selected diet patterns adopted by individuals that restrict or eliminate certain categories or types of foods and emphasize other categories or types of foods. The most common restricted diets are reviewed, including vegetarian/vegan diet, gluten-free/casein-free diet, Paleolithic diet, ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and autoimmune diet. Assessing restricted diets not only requires knowledge of nutrition needs for the child’s age and medical history but also an understanding of how the child’s nutrition-related knowledge, the family environment, and other social factors may influence a child’s eating habits. Children may adopt various types of restricted diets due to internal motivations, peer pressure, or as directed by caregivers. These influences should be evaluated, with careful attention paid to potential signs of disordered eating. Various dietary restrictions may be implemented without the recommendation of a medical professional due to the child’s or family’s belief that the diet may treat a medical condition or improve unwanted symptoms. Proper identification of the restrictions will enable the dietitian to define specific nutrients that may be missing from the child’s diet and enable nutrition interventions to prevent deficiencies and ensure adequate growth and development. Monitoring and evaluation should be an ongoing process tailored to the child’s individual needs to support long-term health and well-being.
