Why Are There More Kids that Can't Have the Cupcakes?

I swear this blog is not about allergies!  But as someone with food allergies, the topic is ever-present in my mind and habits.  Self-preservation kind of works that way.  Recently I was discussing the school's no-cupcake policy with another parent (he was fine with it, by the way), and he wondered why there seems to be an increase in food allergies in recent years.  I have read different theories, but didn't know a definitive answer.  So I decided to try and find out.  I still don't have a simple answer.

Research shows that there is an actual increase in food allergies.  A study published in May, 2013 by the CDC confirmed an increase in reported food allergies between 1997 and 2011.

90% of food allergies are to the "big 8": peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shell fish, milk and eggs, but someone can be allergic to any food.  FARE, the Food Allergy Research and Education group, has some great basic information about food allergies on their website.

While many researchers are not ready to suggest a cause of the increase in food allergies, there are some theories.  These include changes in food habits, such as delayed introduction of certain foods to babies, and differences in preparation.  There may also be more awareness and reporting of food allergies than in the past.

One example is the prevalence of roasting peanuts in the United States, as compared with boiling or frying.  China has a high rate of peanut consumption, but a lower rate of peanut allergy.  Peanuts are typically boiled or fried in China.  This study concluded that roasting uses higher temperatures which apparently makes peanuts more allergenic.

There is an interesting look at these theories on the UCLA Food and Drug Allergy Care Center website.  With a cool graphic!

So I still don't really have an answer to this question, just some ideas.  This is an important area of study, as food allergies are really on the rise and impact life significantly for those who have them.  My parting thoughts about food allergies:

• Take food allergies seriously.  An inconvenience for you is someone else's health,well-being, and maybe even life.
• Don't call something an allergy that isn't.

Thanks for reading!