Food Allergy Facts and Stats

Food allergies are a growing public health concern in the U.S. Though reasons for this are poorly understood, the prevalence of food allergies and associated anaphylaxis appears to be on the rise.

Consider these interesting statistics.

• Peanut allergy doubled in children over a five-year period (1997-2002).

• A 2007 study has shown that milk allergy may persist longer in life than previously thought. Of 800 children with milk allergy, only 19% had outgrown their allergy by age 4, and only 79% had outgrown it by age 16.

• More than 12 million Americans have food allergies. That’s one in 25, or 4% of the population.

• The incidence of food allergy is highest in young children – one in 17 among those under age 3.
• About 3 million children in the U.S. have food allergies.

• The CDC reports that food allergies result in over 300,000 ambulatory-care visits a year among children.

• There is no cure for food allergies. Strict avoidance of food allergens and early recognition and management of allergic reactions to food are important measures to prevent serious health consequences.

• Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction.

• Most people who’ve had an allergic reaction to something they ate thought that it was safe.

• Early administration of epinephrine (adrenaline) is crucial to successfully treating anaphylactic reactions.

• Epinephrine is available by prescription in a self-injectable device (EpiPen® or Twinject®).