Are food allergies more common in USA?

Yes, food allergies appear to be increasing in prevalence in the United States, affecting both children and adults.

Prevalence in Children

• According to the CDC's National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for 2021, approximately 5.8% of children aged 0-17 have a diagnosed food allergy12.
• A study from 2015-2016 indicated that nearly 8% of children, or about one in 13 children, have food allergies. This prevalence has been increasing, with a 50% rise in food allergy prevalence among children between 1997 and 2011, and another 50% rise between 2007 and 20212.

Prevalence in Adults

• The NHIS for 2021 reported that about 6.2% of adults in the U.S. have a food allergy14.
• A more recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that approximately 10% of adults in the U.S., or over 26 million people, have a food allergy. Notably, about half of these adults developed their food allergy as adults, rather than having it since childhood3.

Demographic Variations

• Food allergies are more prevalent among certain demographic groups. For example, Black, non-Hispanic adults and children are more likely to have food allergies compared to other racial and ethnic groups124.

Increasing Trends

• The overall trend indicates that food allergies are becoming more common in both children and adults. The reasons for this increase are not fully understood but are being researched by scientists like Ruchi Gupta3.