More Adults Have Food Allergies Than Previously Believed

Last month, we shared the latest research on food allergy trends among children. The study found that approximately 7.6%—or 6 million—kids in the U.S. have a food allergy. Now we have more breaking food allergy news to share—this time concerning adults.

In early January, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study on the prevalence of food allergies among U.S. adults. What did they discover? Approximately 1 in 10 American adults (~26 million) have a food allergy. 

This brings the total number of Americans with a food allergy to approximately 32 million, more than doubling the food allergy population! Previous estimates had the population at roughly 15 million Americans.

Below are a few more key findings:

• Adult onset of food allergies is becoming more common; nearly half of food-allergic adults have at least one food allergy that began in adulthood.
  
  
• The most common allergies among adults are shellfish (7.2 million), milk (4.7 million), peanuts (4.5 million), tree nuts (3 million), and fin fish (2.2 million).
  
  
• Food allergies occur more often in non-white adults than in white adults.
  
  
• Nearly 40% of adults with a food allergy reported at least one food allergy-related ER visit in their lifetime.
  
  
• Adults ages 30-39 had higher rates of food allergy than younger adults. Adults over 60 had lower rates than other adult age groups.
  
  

Dr. Ruchi Gupta and her team at Northwestern University conducted both the adult and pediatric studies. Consistent with their research on children, Dr. Gupta’s team applied a stringent symptom methodology, which looked at the frequency, type, and severity of allergy symptoms as part of diagnosis to filter out those who more likely had a food intolerance. 

One thing is clear: food allergies are on the rise, and we need greater education, awareness, and research on this troubling health trend. 

A big thanks to Dr. Gupta and her team for their ongoing efforts to shine a light on the rising food allergy epidemic in our country.

- Susannah and the Allergy Amulet Team