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Epidemiology and the Growing Epidemic of Food Allergy in Children and Adults Across the Globe

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Food allergies are immune-mediated, complex disorders, which are the source of increasing health concern worldwide. The goal of this review is to present an updated summary of the food allergy (FA) burden among children and adults across different populations, focusing on research from the past 5 years.

Recent Findings

FAs impact a growing number of global residents—particularly those residing in higher-income, industrialized regions. Moreover, growing epidemiologic evidence suggests that the population health burden of non-IgE-mediated FAs, such as food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, may also be higher than previously reported.

Summary

FA is a complex trait that impacts infants, children, as well as adults across the globe. The population health burden of both IgE- and non-IgE-mediated FAs is likely to grow in the absence of rapid advances and widespread implementation of effective FA prevention and treatment interventions. Systematic epidemiological research initiatives are needed, both nationally and globally, to better understand and reduce the burden of these allergic diseases.

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  1. Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    Christopher M. Warren, Shruti Sehgal & Ruchi S. Gupta

  2. Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Division of Allergy and Immunology, Kravis Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, NY, USA

    Scott H. Sicherer

  3. Ann and Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Ruchi S. Gupta

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CMW and SS drafted the main manuscript text. SHS and RSG provided critical revisions. All authors reviewed and approved submission of the manuscript.

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Dr. Warren reports grants from The National Institute of Health (NIH), personal fees from DBV for DSMB service, personal fees from Genentech for epidemiologic consulting, and grants and personal fees from FARE, outside the submitted work. Dr. Sehgal declares that she has no conflict of interest. Dr. Sicherer reports royalty payments from UpToDate and from Johns Hopkins University Press; grants to his institution from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, from Food Allergy Research and Education, and from Pfizer, Inc.; and personal fees from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology as Deputy Editor of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, outside of the submitted work. Dr. Gupta reports grants from The National Institutes of Health (NIH), grants from Genentech, grants from Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), grants from The Walder Foundation, grants from Sunshine Charitable Foundation, grants from Novartis, personal fees from Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), personal fees from Genentech, personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from Aimmune LLC, personal fees from Allergenis LLC, and other from Yobee Care, Inc, outside the submitted work. In addition, Dr. Gupta has a patent Yobee issued.

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Warren, C.M., Sehgal, S., Sicherer, S.H. et al. Epidemiology and the Growing Epidemic of Food Allergy in Children and Adults Across the Globe. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 24, 95–106 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-023-01120-y

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