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MONDAY, Jan. 7, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Nearly 11 percent of U.S. adults are estimated to be food-allergic, but 19 percent believe they have a food allergy, according to a study published online Jan. 4 in JAMA Network Open<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Ruchi S. Gupta, M.D., M.P.H., from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional survey study involving U.S. adults. Surveys were administered via the internet and telephone and were completed by 40,443 adults.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that among U.S. adults, the estimated convincing food allergy prevalence was 10.8 percent, while food allergy was self-reported by 19 percent. Shellfish, milk, peanut, tree nut, and fin fish were the most common allergies (2.9, 1.9, 1.8, 1.2, and 0.9 percent, respectively). Overall, 51.1 percent of food-allergic adults had experienced a severe food allergy reaction, and allergies to multiple foods were seen for 45.3 percent. Forty-eight percent of food-allergic adults developed allergies as an adult. About one in four (24 percent) reported a current epinephrine prescription, and 38.3 percent reported at least one emergency department visit related to food allergy.<\/p>\n
“It is important to see a physician for appropriate testing and diagnosis before completely eliminating foods from the diet,” Gupta said in a statement. “If food allergy is confirmed, understanding the management is also critical, including recognizing symptoms of anaphylaxis and how and when to use epinephrine.”<\/p>\n
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n