Almost 11% of American adults suffer from a food allergy, or 26 million people, according to a study conducted in the country. Scientists estimate that 12 million of them developed the disorder in adulthood, pointing out that allergies don’t just happen in childhood. But above all, these same researchers have discovered that the number of people who think they are allergic is almost twice as high as it actually is.
In their study, published in the journal Jama Network Open on January 4, researchers denounce the fact that many people do not have access to antihistamines, while others avoid food unnecessarily. To reach these conclusions, they conducted a survey of 40,000 American adults. They were asked about their food allergy, symptoms and diagnosis. The team then assessed whether the reported allergy was “Convincing” taking into account the manifestations of the disease. For example, people suffering from bloating, stomach pain or diarrhea were eliminated, as they could suffer from lactose or food intolerance.
The number of real allergies divided by two
In the end, the results revealed that the most common allergy was to shellfish. It affected 2.9% of adults. Milk and peanuts took second and third place, affecting 1.9% and 1.8% of respondents respectively. But while 19% of adults surveyed said they were allergic, 10.8% of food allergies were found to be “Convincing”.
And among those actually affected – according to the study’s criteria – only 48% said they had been diagnosed by a doctor. Only a quarter received an adrenaline prescription. “I often see patients who think they have a severe allergy, who are not allergic or who have a mild allergy, confirms Stephen Till, professor at King’s College London interviewed by the British newspaper The Guardian. They may have been prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors, such as a diet avoiding the suspected culprit, even in tiny amounts. “
“Unfortunately … we lack doctors trained in adult allergy, which amplifies these kinds of problems”, he laments. Although the study was conducted in the United States, the situation would be similar in other countries, such as the United Kingdom.
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