Are Children's Food Allergies More Prevalent Today?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of children with food allergies increased 18 percent from 1997 to 2007. This equates to about 3 million children with food allergies in 2007.

For most people food allergies are simply a nuisance. In truth, what most people may call a food allergy is usually only food intolerance. Food allergies can be a very serious health issue, sometimes even life-threatening. The most common food allergens are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, shellfish, fish, and wheat.

Experts are not sure why children's food allergies seem to be on the rise. It could be that people are now more aware of food allergies and the symptoms that they may present. It could be that the physicians are treating and reporting the incidences more appropriately. Other theories exist as well that have to do with the health of children and why the food allergies may be on the rise.

Standard American Diet

Has the Standard American Diet (SAD) made our children more susceptible to food allergies? Our diet today contains more sugar, animal fat, and calorie dense food. One result of this way of eating is that the bacterial flora in our digestive system is weakened and not as diverse. Could it be that the decrease of bacteria in our digestive system is due to living in a more industrialized country?

Hygiene

Another speculation is that we may be living in environments that are actually too clean. This one is a hard one to grasp especially in our "germophobe" nation today. Sanitation methods and vaccines in our country have successfully controlled various infectious diseases, but by decreasing our exposure to a variety of bacteria this opened the door to other things, such as allergens, to attack our body.

Exposure

Another theory is that children may need to be exposed to common food allergies at an earlier age. With these common allergens there is a very specific timeline on when you can expose your child to these foods, but now some health officials are wondering if we are waiting too long to expose children.

All of these are theories and speculation as to why children's food allergies are on the rise today. Eating a healthier diet with a variety of fresh foods is good for the body, and may help the body's immune system. Please keep in mind that children's food allergies can be dangerous and if you have any concerns or questions you should speak to your child's health care provider about them.

Gordon, Serena. "Child Food Allergies on the Rise in U.S." Health Day. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/allergy-and-asthma/articles/2009/11/16/child-food-allergies-on-the-rise-in-us.html 16 November 2009. 4 August 2010.

Landau, Elizabeth. "Why are food allergies on the rise?" CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/03/food.allergies.er.gut/index.html 3 August 2010. 4 August 2010.