Sofi Food allergies are growing around the globe. It was known from ancient times that food can cause some reactions including death. Descriptions of swelling, rashes, red eyes, runny noses, and shortness of breath are described in ancient historic documents from Ancient China, Rome and Greece. Even Hippocrates himself was credited to be one of the first people who recognised that food can cause some unpleasant symptoms.
Although we know that allergies existed, our understanding of allergies today is different.
We know that allergies are immune system reactions to the food protein. Although there is no definite cure to food allergies found yet, in the past decade progress has been made in medical research and there is improvement in many social aspects, making life easier for people with food allergies.
A brief history of allergies
More than 150 years ago, Charles Harrison Blackley was curious to know what caused the so-called hay fever. While experimenting on himself he discovered that pollen caused him seasonal sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny nose.
In 1905 Clemens von Pirquet, a pediatrician from Austria discovered that patients vaccinated for smallpox using horse serum reacted quickly and severely to a second dose and that was just a way of the immune system producing antibodies to fight antigen (foreign substances contained in the serum). Thus, he invented the term allergy.
Over time it was proposed that this immune system reaction is causing hay fever, asthma, some skin diseases, and even severe anaphylaxis.
After WWII, the term allergy was being applied not only to immune system reactions to food, but also to synthetic chemicals and cosmetics. Meanwhile production of the first anti-allergy products was growing.
In 1967, researchers identified immunoglobulin E (IgE). This is the antibody responsible for most allergic reactions. When someone is exposed to an antigen, peanuts for example, their body produces a specific IgE antibody in a process called sensitization. Until a person consumes the food they are allergic to, IgE remains inactive.
After that blood allergy tests and the EpiPen were discovered.
Today the number of people allergic to food is growing
According to National Geographic, 2.5% of the world’s population suffers from a food allergy. Allergies represent the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the USA, costing around $18 billion a year.
Here are some food allergy stats by country:
- 32 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.6 million children under age 18. The most common food allergy is shellfish (8.2 million)
- More than 3 million Canadians self-report having at least one food allergy. Almost 500,000 Canadian children under 18 years have food allergies.
- According to Statista, 5% of the Mexican population that suffers from food allergy are allergic to peanuts.
- Study conducted by the Environmental Medicine Commission of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimates a prevalence of food allergies in adults in Germany at 4.7%.
- In France the prevalence of food allergies is estimated at 3.24%.
- It is estimated that in the UK, 2 million people are living with a diagnosed food allergy.
- In Ireland, statistics show that approximately 5% of children and 3% of adults actually suffer from food allergies.
- Food allergy occurs in around 10% of infants, 4-8% of children, and about 2% of adults in Australia and New Zealand. The most common food allergens are cow’s milk (dairy), egg, peanut, tree nuts, sesame, soy, fish, shellfish and wheat.
Why are allergies growing worldwide?
The increase of food allergies during the past 30 years is becoming an alarming concern. Yes, the world is becoming more aware of the existence and risk of food allergies, and we are becoming better at diagnosing them, however there is no simple explanation why people are becoming more allergic to food.
Some of the elements causing the increase of allergies to food worldwide may include pollution, dietary changes and less exposure to microbes, which change the way our immune systems respond.
Cure
Although there is much progress in the field of allergy research and medicine, there is still no definite cure for food allergies. People with allergies are generally advised to be well informed, to read food labels and to avoid consuming the food they are allergic to.
It is quite positive that in the last few years, new allergen free and allergen careful brands have been emerging thus improving the quality of life for people with food allergies and making it easier for them to enjoy social aspects such as traveling and eating outside in a restaurant.
For more information about food allergies we advise you to consult with a local allergist.
