Aurametrix

Nobody knows the exact numbers, but at least 4% of the adult US population has food allergies (6-8% of children under 4 years of age), many more have food intolerances. According to non-allergist physicians, the numbers are 3 times higher. More than half the US population tested positive to one or more allergens. There could be as many as ~15% of all people sensitive to gluten, ~75% of adults worldwide have difficulty metabolizing lactose. If counting even mild intolerances to specific foods, the number can go up to 100% of the population. Food allergy is now recognized as a significant health issue.

The trends are not good. Peanut allergies doubled according to 1997 vs 2002 statistics. Seasame seeds allergy seems to be following it the footsteps. New food allergies are reported all the time, as new foods and international flavors are introduced to unprepared digestive systems. Food allergies and intolerances have reached epidemic proportions. The raise of incidents is comparable to asthma, eczema and hayfever trends. 5%-10% of adults and 10%-15% of children suffer from asthma globally, prevalence growth is estimated from 5%-6% per annum to 20%-50% every ten years. 

There are currently 300+ million individuals worldwide managing special diets, many more people trying to get answers to their health questions on various internet forums. Their needs are unmet.

What food could cause allergies and intolerances? Any, you name it. Gluten, wheat, tap water, soybean, raw carrots, alcohol, milk, cheese, garlic, yeast, peaches, banana, fructose, vegetable oil… In the U.S., the 8 foods people are most commonly allergic to are milk (lactose intolerance, also allergy to milk proteins or other consituents, celebrity list: Orlando Bloom, Victoria Beckham, Rachel Hunter), egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, wheat (celebrity list: Rachel Weisz and Geri Halliwell), gluten (Elisabeth Hasselbeck), peanuts (Serena Williams) and soy (Alyssa Milano) . This list in not complete, and the complete list of allergens is unlimited. About 1000 allergens (twice more if including isoalergens) are just in animal products. Read about a 12 year old boy allergic to everything,  except chicken, carrots, grapes, potatoes and apples. But wait – Britney Spears’ son Jayden is allergic to fried chicken! The prevalence of apple allergic individuals mounts up to ~3% in Central and Northern Europe. Here is are a few more  stories from steadyhealth.com, or see Mike’s story:  within minutes of eating chicken or turkey, his mouth begins to stream saliva and breathing becomes so difficult, he feels like he is suffocating. Other symptoms of food allergies and intolerances include digestive problems, skin rash, redness, itching of the skin, body odor, tiredness and fatique, headache, mood changes, the postnasal drip, congestion, a excess mucus at the back of your nose and throat after eating, this can also lead to difficulty breathing. 

The easiest and cheapest test to confirm or quantify your food allergies is the Coca Pulse Test. Check your base pulse rate then eat a single food item and check your pulse 15, 30, and 60 minutes after you eat it. An elevation in pulse rate of more than ten beats is supposed to be an indicator that you are allergic to that food. Traditional tests such as the RAST blood test, ImmunoCAP IgE test or skin prick tests are straightforward procedures that can help diagnose allergies.

Sensitivities are causing less serious problems than allergies and are more difficult to detect due to the delayed symptoms.  Several tests exist to confirm food intolerance and better technologies are being developed.

Food diaries help to identify the causes, even if you do not do elimination diet, read Becky’s blog on how she was able to do it for her kids. Many diet tracking software tools are available. We are developing better tools to keep sensitivities and intolerances under control.