QuoteMany people who claim they have food allergies are just "paranoid" and are engaging in a "self-diagnosed food fad", a UK paediatrician says.

Dr Ranj Singh, a paediatrician and TV doctor who has been investigating allergy testing kits, says too many people voluntarily cutting out food groups are self-diagnosed, or have not been properly tested.

He shared his view with the UK's MailOnline today. Here are some excerpts of his piece:

"Some people have taken this to an extreme - manifested as a food fad, self-diagnosed intolerance or even an 'allergy'.

"This largely unfounded dietary paranoia has to stop before it actually causes us harm, and believe it or not, the latest diet craze could do just that.

"There's nothing wrong with them provided you eat what your body needs. However, some of them will also seriously limit our supply of vital nutrients and that's when they become unhealthy.

"Another usual suspect is bread, or more accurately, wheat.

"So many people blame their ailments on so-called 'wheat allergy'.

"Reported symptoms are as diverse as nausea, bloating, joint pains and headaches.

"Nowadays, you can't even break wind without blaming it on the bread.

"However, the vast majority of sufferers will not be truly allergic, but may have an intolerance - a totally different entity unlikely to cause them any significant harm.

"The question of allergy and intolerance has raged on for years. Around 30% of UK adults think that they are allergic to some type of food."

QuoteMany people who claim they have food allergies are just "paranoid" and are engaging in a "self-diagnosed food fad", a UK paediatrician says.