Children, males and blacks have the maximum rates of food allergies in the United States, and the risk is 4.4 times higher among male black children than in the general population, a new study finds.
Overall, 7.6 million people (2.5 percent of the U.S. population) are anticipated to have food allergies, according to researchers who analyzed data from 8,203 people, aged 1 year to 60 and older, who were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005-06. The participants had their blood tested for antibodies to four specific foods: peanuts, milk, eggs and shrimp.
Food allergy rates were maximum (4.2 percent) among children aged 1 to 5 and lowest (1.3 percent) among adults elder than 60. Compared to the general population, food allergies were two times more common among children aged 1 to 19, three times more common among blacks and two times more common among males.
People with asthma were 3.8 times more likely to have food allergies than those who had previously been diagnosed with asthma but no longer had it. Food allergies were seven times more common among people who had an asthma-related emergency department visit in the past year than among those who had ever been diagnosed with asthma but hadn't been to an emergency department.
"This study provides further credence that food allergies may be contributing to severe asthma episodes, and suggests that people with a food allergyDr. Andrew Liu, and asthma should closely monitor both conditions and be aware that they might be related," study author an associate professor of pediatrics at National Jewish Health in Denver, said in a news release from National Jewish.
Overall, 7.6 million people (2.5 percent of the U.S. population) are anticipated to have food allergies, according to researchers who analyzed data from 8,203 people, aged 1 year to 60 and older, who were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005-06. The participants had their blood tested for antibodies to four specific foods: peanuts, milk, eggs and shrimp.
Food allergy rates were maximum (4.2 percent) among children aged 1 to 5 and lowest (1.3 percent) among adults elder than 60. Compared to the general population, food allergies were two times more common among children aged 1 to 19, three times more common among blacks and two times more common among males.
People with asthma were 3.8 times more likely to have food allergies than those who had previously been diagnosed with asthma but no longer had it. Food allergies were seven times more common among people who had an asthma-related emergency department visit in the past year than among those who had ever been diagnosed with asthma but hadn't been to an emergency department.
"This study provides further credence that food allergies may be contributing to severe asthma episodes, and suggests that people with a food allergyDr. Andrew Liu, and asthma should closely monitor both conditions and be aware that they might be related," study author an associate professor of pediatrics at National Jewish Health in Denver, said in a news release from National Jewish.
