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Deadly food allergies among children doubled over 10-year period, study finds
Theories about what is to blame for this increase include the prevalence of ultra-processed foods in children’s diets, and the widespread use of antibiotics
Deadly food allergies among children are on the rise, according to a recent study published in the British medical journal, The Lancet.
It found that food allergies doubled between 2008 and 2018, most affecting children.
More recently the increase has been less notable. Medical experts postulate that’s because parents are being advised to expose their children to common allergens such as nuts and eggs when they are infants – under a year.
Still, the increase is worrying and “isn’t unique to England,” says Professor Devi Sridhar, writing in the Guardian. Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh.
Evidence of the deadly increase can be found around the world. Medical experts have put forward several hypotheses, says Sridhar, but they need to be scientifically tested.
A food allergy arises when the immune system overreacts to a food, releasing chemicals that cause symptoms such as itchy skin, hives, swelling of the face, eyes, or lips, breathing difficulties and cardiac arrest. In short, the immune system malfunctions.
