10 pct Australian infants have food allergies

Source:Xinhua Published: 2013-5-13 15:19:57

One in ten Australian infants develop a food allergy, said ambassadors for Food Allergy Week 2013, launched Monday.

Australia has the highest reported incidence of food allergy in the world, with life-threatening allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis, increasing fivefold over the last 10 years in children under five.

The most common food allergies in childhood are cow's milk, egg, peanut and tree nut. While children may grow out of milk and egg allergies; peanut, tree nut, sesame, fish, and shellfish allergies are often lifelong. There is no cure.

Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia President Maria Said believes Australia was not prepared for, nor is keeping up with, the current prevalence of food allergies -- hence the national launch of the 1 in 10 campaign this week.

"There is a shortage of allergy resources, including allergy specialists, across the country which means individuals at risk lack timely access to diagnosis.

"This puts people already at risk of anaphylaxis at an even greater risk because people need to be shown how to manage food allergy in the real world," said Said.

For children too young to manage their own dietary needs, management means placing trust in parents, school teachers, relatives, the food industry and food outlets like restaurants and cafes -- hence repercussions from an incident can reach far and wide throughout a community.

"It is not just the person with the food allergy that this affects -- it's everyone around them. Approximately 10 Australians die from anaphylaxis each year. These deaths are mainly the result of reactions to insect stings and medication, followed by food.

"The risk of dying from food allergy is extremely rare -- but try telling that to a parent who has lost a child with a food allergy. As far as I'm concerned one death is one death too many. We all need to care about food allergy -- every one of us is somehow affected," Said added.

Research by Food Allergy Week ambassador Katie Allen, professor at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, has uncovered several reasons as to why Australia's reported incidences of food allergy are so high -- including infants' diet in the first year of life, exposure to microbes in the environment and vitamin D deficiency.

"What is exciting about these factors is that they are all modifiable and to do with the modern lifestyle. If proven, they may be able to reverse the current food allergy epidemic," said Allen.

Allen is currently leading a major research study into food allergies, the first of its kind in the world, aiming to understand how to prevent food allergy and the progression of allergic disease later in life.



Posted in: Biology

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