Salicylate elimination diets in children: is food restriction supported by the evidence?

To the Editor: I am concerned that the recent articles on salicylate diets in the Journal1,2 may be seen as a current position statement on the usefulness of a low-chemical elimination diet. An elderly psychiatrist colleague said in 1976, “In 20 years time many parents will not be giving their children red cordial but scientists will still be discussing the issue!” The discussion continues, not because diet has no role, but because the issue is complex. One meta-analysis cited by both Gray and colleagues and Loblay and colleagues implicates artificial food additives;3 another meta-analysis also implicates additives, but also supports a few-foods diet.4