Food allergy diagnoses in England doubled in a decade, say researchers

The number of people diagnosed with food allergies in England has more than doubled in a decade and a third of those with life-threatening reactions are not carrying adrenaline pens, research has revealed.

Experts at Imperial College London analysed GP records for 7 million people. The number of new food allergy cases increased from 76 per 100,000 people in 2008 to 160 per 100,000 people in 2018, they found. 

The highest food allergy prevalence was seen in children under the age of five, 4% of whom were affected. 

They also found that one in three patients who had previously experienced anaphylaxis – a life-threatening allergic reaction – did not have their own adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs).

The lead researcher, Dr Paul Turner, a professor of paediatric allergy at Imperial’s national heart and lung institute, said the results showed there was an “urgent need” to “better support GPs and primary care staff” to care for patients with food allergies.

“Food allergy can have a huge impact on people’s lives, and in some tragic cases, can cut lives short,” he said.

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Source: The Guardian, 28 August 2024