Prevalence
Food allergies affect around one in 50 adults, but are more common in younger children, with as many as one in 12 children under the age of three years having a proven food allergy.1,5
Across Europe, there has been an increase in the number of children admitted to hospital due to a severe allergic reaction to food. Hospital admissions had increased seven-fold over the preceding decade, a 2014 study found.6
In England, total hospital admissions due to food allergies increased by 6.4 per cent in the year to February 2014. This comprised 129 cases of food-related allergic contact dermatitis and 1,509 admissions due to anaphylactic shock.7
Reflection points
How aware are you of the nature of food allergies, and how do you regard food intolerances?
What advice about food hypersensitivities do you feel confident in giving?