Food Allergy Statistics – A Closer Look at Food Allergies, Insights and Implications

Food Allergy Statistics: Food allergies are common health conditions that occur when the immune system reacts abnormally to certain foods. When a person with food allergy ingests or comes into contact with allergenic food, their immune system perceives it as harmful and triggers an allergic reaction. The se reactions can change from mild discomfort to severe and life-threatening symptoms.

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• It is generally accepted that food allergy affects approximately 2.5% of the general population.
• The prevalence of food allergy varies widely, ranging from 1% to 10%.
• In European birth cohorts, the incidence of food allergy ranges from 2.18% (United Kingdom) to 0.07% (Greece).
• Approximately 40% of individuals with food allergies report experiencing a severe allergic reaction due to unintentional consumption of allergenic food.
• Globally, an estimated 220-250 million people have food allergies.
• Food allergies affect approximately 5-8% of children worldwide.
• Around 1-2% of adults have food allergies.
• Approximately 2-3% of young children have a milk allergy.
• Shellfish allergy affects roughly 2-3% of adults.
• Anaphylaxis related to food allergies accounts for a significant number of emergency room visits, affecting approximately 30,000 individuals in the United States annually.
• Food-induced anaphylaxis causes an estimated 150-200 deaths per year in the United States.

(Source: FARE, ACAAI, CDC)

Prevalence of Food Allergies

• Food allergy is estimated to affect approximately 2-4% of adults and 5-8% of children worldwide.
• In the United States, about 9% of adults and 8% of children have a food allergy.
• Prevalence rates in European countries range from 2% to 10%, varying by region and population studied.
• It is estimated that around 10% of infants, 4-8% of children, and 2-3% of adults in Australia have food allergies.
• Reported prevalence rates in Asia range from 1% to 10%, with variations among different countries.
• Cow milk allergy affects about 0.5-3% of infants and young children globally.
• Egg allergy prevalence is around 0.5-2% in young children.
• Peanut allergy affects approximately 0.5-2% of children and adults.
• The prevalence of tree nut allergies ranges from 0.5% to 2% in different populations.
• Shellfish allergy is estimated to affect about 0.5-2% of the general population.

(Source: WAO)

Food Allergy Statistics – Age and Gender Distribution

Children

• Food allergies are more prevalent in children compared to adults.
• Approximately 5-8% of children worldwide have food allergies.
• Common food allergens in children include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish.
• Milk and egg allergies are more common in young children, with a prevalence of around 2-3%.
• Peanut allergy affects about 1-2% of young children.

Adults

• Food allergies are less common in adults compared to children.
• Approximately 1-2% of adults have food allergies.
• Common food allergens in adults include shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, milk, eggs, wheat, and soy.
• Shellfish allergy affects roughly 2-3% of adults.
• Allergies to tree nuts, such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts, are found in approximately 1-2% of adults.

(Source: ACAAI)

Food Allergy Statistics – Most Common Food Allergies

Milk

• Milk allergy is one of the most common food allergies in children.
• Approximately 2-3% of young children have a milk allergy.
• In the United States, the estimated prevalence of milk allergy is around 0.5-1% among adults.
• Around 80% of children with a milk allergy will outgrow it by the age of 5.

(Source: ACAAI)

Eggs

• Approximately 1-2% of young children have an egg allergy.
• About 70% of children with an egg allergy outgrow it by the age of 16.
• It is estimated that 70-80% of children with an egg allergy can tolerate well-cooked eggs (such as in baked goods), and they may not need to strictly avoid chicken meat.

(Source: ACAAI)

Peanuts

• Prevalence estimates of peanut allergy in children range from 1% to 2% in various populations.
• Only about 20% of children with a peanut allergy are likely to outgrow it.
• Peanut allergy forms around 28% of all food allergies in children.
• In about half of the cases, peanut allergy develops before the child reaches their first birthday.
• The development of peanut allergy rarely occurs after 15 years of age, accounting for only 7% of cases.

(Source: News Medical Life Science)

Tree nuts

• The prevalence of tree nut allergies ranges from less than 1% to approximately 3% worldwide.
• The reported resolution rates for tree nut allergies range from 9% to 14%.
• Unlike some food allergies, tree nut allergies tend to be lifelong. Fewer than 10% of children with a tree nut allergy outgrow it.
• Additionally, around 50% of people who are allergic to one type of tree nut are also allergic to another type. For instance, about two-thirds of people allergic to cashews are also allergic to pistachios, and similarly, two-thirds of those allergic to walnuts react to pecans.

(Source: NIH)

Shellfish Allergies

• In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 2.0% of the population is affected by shellfish allergy
• Shellfish allergy is more common in adults than in children. In the United States, approximately 2.4% of adults are allergic to shellfish, compared to 0.5% of children.

(Source: food-allergy)

Fish Allergy

• In the United States, about 0.2% of the population (or 2 in every 1,000 people) are estimated to have a fish allergy.
• In a European study, the prevalence of fish allergy was found to be approximately 0.3% in the general population.
• Unlike some food allergies, fish allergies are typically lifelong, with over 50% of people not outgrowing their fish allergies.

(Source: CDC)

Prevalence of Anaphylaxis

• Between 1.6% and 5.1% of US citizens are estimated to have experienced anaphylaxis.
• Approximately 1% of hospitalizations and 0.1% of emergency department attendances for anaphylaxis result in a fatal outcome.
• Approximately 5% to 8% of US children and 2% to 3% of adults have IgE-mediated food allergies, putting them at risk of anaphylaxis.
• Hungary: In Hungary, it was reported that there are approximately 222 known episodes of anaphylaxis per year in emergency rooms. This estimation is based on a population of 10.2 million people.
• Japan: Japan has an estimated range of 300-350 episodes of anaphylaxis per year seen in emergency rooms. This estimation corresponds to a population of 100 million individuals.
• China: China experiences an estimated 3,000 episodes of anaphylaxis per year in emergency rooms, considering its large population of 1,200 million people.
• United States of America: The prevalence rate of anaphylaxis in the United States of America is estimated to affect around 2% of the population. This implies a significant number of individuals experiencing anaphylactic episodes.
• Korea: In Korea, the estimated prevalence rate of anaphylaxis is around 0.1% of the population. Although relatively lower, it still represents a portion of the population affected by anaphylactic reactions.
• Australia: The prevalence rates of anaphylaxis in Australia range from 0.6% to 1% of the population. This suggests that a notable percentage of Australians experience anaphylaxis.

(Source: NIH, WAO)

Food Allergy Statistics – Sensitization and Clinical Food Allergy by Ethnicity

• Among Black individuals (regardless of age), the prevalence of food sensitization was reported to be 27%.
• For White individuals, the prevalence of food sensitization was 13.8%.
• Hispanic individuals had a prevalence of food sensitization at 21.2%.
• Among Black individuals, the estimated clinical food allergy rate was 5.9%.
• For White individuals, the clinical food allergy rate was 1.9%.
• Hispanic individuals had a clinical food allergy rate of 2.7%.

(Source: NIH)

Food Allergy Statistics – Economic Burden of Food Allergy

Overall Economic Cost

• The estimated overall economic cost of food allergy was $24.8 billion annually.
• The 95% confidence interval for this estimate was $20.6 billion to $29.4 billion.
• On average, this translates to $4184 per year per child with food allergies.

Direct Medical Costs

• Direct medical costs associated with food allergies were estimated at $4.3 billion annually.
• The 95% confidence interval for this estimate was $2.8 billion to $6.3 billion.
• This includes costs related to clinician visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.

Costs Borne by the Family

• The costs borne by families of children with food allergies totaled $20.5 billion annually.
• This includes various components such as lost labor productivity, out-of-pocket expenses, and opportunity costs.

Opportunity Costs

• Opportunity costs related to food allergies amounted to $14.2 billion annually.
• The 95% confidence interval for this estimate was $10.5 billion to $18.4 billion.
• These costs relate to caregivers needing to leave or change jobs to manage their child’s food allergies.

Willingness to Pay for Treatment

• Caregivers reported a willingness to pay $20.8 billion annually for food allergy treatment.
• On average, this translates to $3504 per year per child with food allergies.

(Source: JAMA Network)

Food Allergy Statistics by Country

United States

• It is estimated that approximately 32 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.6 million children under the age of 18.
• The prevalence of food allergies in children has been increasing over the years. From 1997 to 2011, the prevalence of food allergies in children under 18 increased by 50%.
• The most common food allergens in the United States are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish. These eight food groups are responsible for approximately 90% of all food allergies.
• Around 5.6 million children in the United States have food allergies, which translates to roughly 1 in 13 children, or about 8% of all children.
• Approximately 26 million adults in the United States have a food allergy.
• A study estimates that there were approximately 30,000 hospitalizations annually due to food-included anaphylaxis.

(Source: CDC, FARE)

United Kingdom

• In the UK, it is estimated that 2% of adults and 8% of children have a food allergy.
• An estimated 2 million people in the UK are living with a diagnosed food allergy and about 600,000 with Coeliac Disease.
• Approximately, 23% of participants in the United Kingdom reported experiencing allergic reactions when consuming fruits.
• About 32% of participants in the survey stated that they suffer from intolerance to cow’s milk and milk products such as butter, cheese, cream, and yogurt.

(Source: Food Standard Agency, Statista)

Australia

• Approximately 10% of infants, 4-8% of children, and 2% of adults in Australia have a food allergy.
• The most common food allergens in Australia are cow’s milk, hen’s eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy.
• Food allergy affects 1 in 10 infants and about 2 in 100 adults in Australia.
• anaphylaxis is reported to occur in 0.2% of children and 3% of adults, but an increase in incidence has been reported over time.

(Source: ASCIA, Parliament of Australia)

Canada

• In Canada, it is estimated that 7.5% of children and 3.5% of adults have a food allergy.
• More than 3 million Canadians self-reported having at least one food allergy.
• Almost 600,000 Canadian children under 18 years have food allergies.
• Peanut allergy in Canada affects about 2 in 100 children.
• 1 in 2 Canadian households is impacted by food allergy.

(Source: Food Allergy Canada)

Germany

• The prevalence of food allergies in Germany is estimated to be around 4-8% among children and 2-4% among adults.
• The most common food allergens in Germany are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish.

(Source: German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment – BfR)

Wrap Up

Food allergies are a significant health concern affecting a considerable portion of the population. The statistics reveal the increasing prevalence of food allergies, with both children and adults being affected. Food Allergy Statistics provides accurate diagnosis and management of food allergies are crucial in preventing adverse reactions and improving the quality of life for individuals with food allergies.

Ongoing research and advancements in food allergy testing and oral immunotherapy hold promise for better understanding and management of food allergies in the future. It is imperative to raise awareness, promote education, and foster inclusive environments that accommodate individuals with food allergies to ensure their safety and well-being.

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