Truth or Fiction: Food Allergies Are on the Rise

You have likely heard in recent years that food allergies are on the rise and that they have bene for years. But is this true? Today we are going to look at stats from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, further referred to as the CDC, which studied the issue. Read on to get the facts and then reach out to Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 to get tested for food allergies.

The experts are not sure what is happening

The truth is that there are an estimated four million children who suffer from food allergies. The most common allergies are to:

• Peanuts
• Soy
• Tree nuts
• Eggs
• Fish
• Crustacean shellfish
• Milk
• Wheat

While four million is a lot, a new report that’s been published by the National Academies of Science shows that there may actually be some incorrect beliefs about how common food allergies are. In fact, experts say that they are not sure at all if the frequency of food allergies is actually changing at all.

The truth about the prevalence of food allergies

15 doctors worked to put together the study, which was designed to find out why it is so hard to know for sure how common food allergies are. One of the main findings was that the incidence is changing all the time – even within one individual. A child may outgrow their allergy or an adult may acquire one.

For example, a child who has an allergy to eggs or milk is more likely than not to outgrow said allergy. On the other hand, an allergy to peanuts is only outgrown by one out of every five children. Then adults may suddenly become allergic to shellfish. Tracking these issues that are constantly changing is a struggle.

Diagnosis is an issue

Another challenge they point out is the difficulties in diagnosing food allergies. While there are many tests that can tell us a lot about food allergies, there is no perfect tool. A skin prick test tells us how likely a food allergy is but oral food challenge tests are generally needed to confirm. This can be impossible to do for patients with a deadly allergy.

Patients too often self-diagnose

The final piece of the puzzle that makes it challenging for doctors to know the true number of food allergies is that patients often diagnose themselves. Since they are not medical doctors, they do not often interpret their symptoms properly and there can be a large overlap between allergies and other conditions. This is just one of the reasons that it is so important for a person who believes they have an allergy to see an allergist.

If you believe that you or your child may have an allergy, food or otherwise, then we welcome you to contact Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Medical Group at 805-658-9500 to make an appointment. We are here to help you get answers and a treatment plan. Reach out today.