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Facts:
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Approximately 11 million
Americans suffer from food allergy, with 6.5 million allergic to seafood and
3 million allergic to peanut and tree nuts.
Millions more are affected by allergy to insect sting, latex, exercise,
medication, and idiopathic reactions (no cause identified). All of these
individuals are at risk for anaphylaxis, a potentially
life-threatening allergic reaction.
Eight foods account for 90% of all reactions in the U.S.:
milk,
eggs,
peanuts,
tree nuts
(walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, etc.),
wheat,
soy,
fish, and
shellfish.
Food allergy reactions result in over
30,000 emergency room
admissions each year.
It is estimated that between 150 and 200 people die annually
from anaphylaxis to food. Many of these are young children and young adults.
Approximately 2 million school-aged children
have food allergy.
One in every 20 children under the age of 3 has food allergies.
Teens and young adults with food allergy and asthma appear to be
at increased risk for severe or fatal allergic reactions.
The majority of patients don’t have written plans from their
doctor for preventing and treating reactions.
Trace amounts of the food allergen can cause a reaction.
Patients should be on guard for hidden ingredients (such as milk or peanuts) in
unsuspected places such as candy, baked goods, trail mixes, sauces, desserts,
and gravy.
There is no cure for food allergy. Strict avoidance of the
allergy-causing food is the only way to prevent a reaction.
Most individuals who have had a reaction ate a food they
thought was safe.
Studies have shown that early administration of epinephrine
(adrenaline), available by prescription as EpiPen® or TwinJect®, is key to a patient’s
survival of anaphylactic shock.
These statistics involve estimates for the U.S. only.
Source: The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, 11781 Lee
Jackson Hwy., Suite 160, Fairfax, VA 22033-3309
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