Food allergy doubles in the UK over last decade but many still without treatment
The number of people with food allergy in the UK has more than doubled since 2008, with the largest increase seen in young children
2 Sept 2024
In a new analysis, researchers from Imperial College London estimate that the number of people living with food allergies in England has increased significantly between 2008 and 2018. The analysis found that up to 4% of preschool-aged children have a food allergy, while rates in adults were around 1%. These rates are likely representative of the UK.
The analysis1, published in the journal The Lancet Public Health, also found that adrenaline autoinjector 'pens' which can be lifesaving were not being prescribed to many people with a previous severe reaction from a food allergy (anaphylaxis).
The researchers highlight that newly diagnosed cases of food allergy may be levelling-off in some age groups, but say it is unclear whether this might be due to changes in infant feeding guidelines2. However, most patients with food allergy including those with previous anaphylaxis are only seen in the primary care setting: only around 10% were seen at least once by a hospital specialist during the 10-year study period.
The authors say there is an urgent need to ensure general practitioners (GPs) and other primary care staff are adequately trained and supported to care for people at risk of severe food allergy.
In the latest study, researchers estimated trends in the clinical incidence and prevalence of food allergy in the UK population. Using anonymized data from GP practices3 covering 13 million patients, the team searched for instances of food allergy between 2008–2018 and linked the data through to relevant GP and hospital encounters in England.
The analysis found that total estimated prevalence of food allergy in the UK increased from 0.4% to 1.1% from 2008 and 2018. In 2018, the highest prevalence was seen in children under 5 years old (4%), with a lower prevalence in school-aged children (2.4% for children aged 5 to 9-years old and 1.7% for 15 to 19-year-olds), and the lowest prevalence in adults (0.7%).
The estimated number of new cases of probable food allergy in the UK doubled between 2008 and 2018, from 76 cases per 100,000 people in 2008 to 160 cases per 100,000 people in 2018.
The work was funded by the UK Food Standards Agency and the UK Medical Research Council.
References
1 Turner, P.J., Conrado, A.B., Kallis, C., et al., Time trends in the epidemiology of food allergy in England: an observational analysis of Clinical Practice Research Datalink data, The Lancet Public Health.
2 See https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/food-allergies-in-babies-and-young-children/
3 The study used data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which collects anonymised patient data from a network of GP practices across the UK.
https://www.cprd.com/
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