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Food allergies on the rise -

Food allergies are on the rise all over the world, with an estimated 7.7% of Chinese children affected, as well as cases of peanut allergies in India, where it was once unheard of.

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Not to be confused with an intolerance - Many food sensitivities present in a similar way to food allergies. For example, lactose intolerance can trigger stomach pain like an allergic reaction, but it is actually a digestive system issue, rather than a milk allergy.

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An immune system response - When someone has an allergic reaction, their body mistakenly sees a harmless foreign protein, such as a peanut protein, as dangerous.

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What are the types of food allergies? - The most common foods people are allergic to include seafood, soy, milk, peanuts, and wheat.

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What are the symptoms of food allergies? - If you have an allergic reaction to something you've eaten, you may experience hives, a skin rash, swelling of the lips or eyelids, an itchy throat, tongue swelling, and abdominal pain.

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When should you go to the emergency room? -

If you have chest tightness, difficulty breathing, hives all over your body, or throat swelling that constricts your airway, go to the emergency room or call 911.

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Are there any life-threatening symptoms of food allergies? -

Anaphylaxis is the most severe allergic reaction to a food. It is a rapidly progressive reaction that sends your body into shock and can make it hard or impossible to breathe. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening without medical treatment.

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There are no mild or severe allergies -

Food allergies themselves are not mild or severe; it is the reaction that can be. Plus, reactions can be unpredictable—an allergen that caused a mild reaction in the past could trigger a more severe one in the future.

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How can you prevent food allergies? -

Breastfeeding babies in the first six months of life may prevent milk allergy. There is no known way to prevent food allergies in adults.

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How can you avoid food allergy triggers? -

To avoid foods you're allergic to, it's important to check ingredient labels on products. Food manufacturers are required to clearly state if a product contains any of the most common allergens.

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Can people live a healthy life with food allergies? -

People can live a healthy life with food allergies if they avoid foods that cause reactions. You may need to speak to a nutritionist to ensure you replace any nutrients lost by avoiding trigger foods.

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When should you see a healthcare provider for a food allergy? -

If eating a specific food causes uncomfortable symptoms, contact your doctor.

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How are food allergies diagnosed? -

In order to make a diagnosis, your doctor may ask how long it takes for symptoms to develop, what and how much of a trigger food you ate, and what symptoms you experience and for how long.

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How are food allergies diagnosed? -

Your doctor may perform a skin test in which they will apply a small amount of different allergens to the skin. They will make tiny pricks through the allergens and measure your reactions after 15 minutes.

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RAST blood test -

Your doctor may also use a radioallergosorbent blood test (RAST) to check the levels of allergic antibodies to different allergens in your blood. 

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What causes food allergies? -

Food allergies tend to run in families and if you have conditions such as hay fever or eczema, you may be more likely to have a food allergy.

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Why are food allergies on the rise? -

According to some experts, increased cleanliness has reduced exposure to microbes during childhood, which may impair immune system development and make it more likely to react to food proteins.

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Living in urban areas -

Some studies have shown that people who live in urban areas have more food allergies than those in rural areas. 

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High exposure to certain food -

Some research has found that high exposure to certain foods, like seafood in Asia, is sometimes associated with a higher likelihood of developing an allergy to that food.

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Changes in gut microbiota -

Modern lifestyles and diets can alter gut microbiota, which may influence immune system development and allergic responses. 

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Vitamin D deprivation -

Some experts suggest that our increasingly sedentary indoor lives are depriving us of Vitamin D from sunlight, which appears to offer some protection against allergies.

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Exposure to traces of an allergen -

If an infant is exposed to traces of an allergen, for example, if a parent rubbing lotion on their baby's skin has a small amount of peanut protein on their hands, the child could be more likely to develop a peanut allergy later.

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Previous advice -

In the past, parents were advised to avoid giving children foods that could trigger their allergy. Now, research has shown that exposing kids to allergens reduces the risk of developing a future allergy.

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Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study -

Researchers who conducted the LEAP study found that giving infants food containing peanuts before their first birthday could reduce their risk of developing a peanut allergy. Their risk dropped by 81% by the time they turned five. 

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LEAP study follow up -

The 2024 LEAP follow-up found that introducing peanuts early in a child's diet reduces the risk of peanut allergies by 71% in adolescence. Even if kids didn’t continue eating peanuts regularly, the early exposure provided long-lasting protection.

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Allergy prevention -

Scientists are looking into medicines that may help protect against accidental exposure to trigger foods. In clinical trials, 68% of those who received an antibody drug called omalizumab were able to eat peanuts. 

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CRISPR advancements -

Advancements in CRISPR technology, a revolutionary gene editing technique, may be able to delete allergen genes in the future.

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The future of food allergies? -

Some experts worry that the number of children with food allergies will continue to rise, and ten years from now, around 10 or 20 students out of every 100 will have an allergy.

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US healthcare -

The US view of healthcare is that sickness or well-being is an individual responsibility. However, looking after children with food allergies requires collaborative action within society.

Sources: (National Geographic) (Cleveland Clinic) (The Guardian)

See also: Common medications that can cause allergic reactions

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