IIn February 2023, 13-year-old Hannah Jacobs died from a severe allergic reaction after drinking Costa Coffee hot chocolate. Hannah suffered from allergies to dairy products, fish, eggs, and to her mother. I asked for soy milk,but, Contains hot chocolate cow's milk. In July 2016, 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died on a plane after eating a Pret a Manger baguette she bought at Heathrow Airport. She had a severe allergic reaction to the sesame seeds baked into the bread but not listed on the ingredients label.
These types of deaths related to food allergies appear to be occurring more frequently. They've been in the headlines, pushing the movement to make planes, schools, and other restricted environments “nut-free.” But are food allergies really on the rise, or are we just hearing more about food allergies?
a recent research The Lancet Public Health Journal has the answer. A research team led by Paul Turner from Imperial College London found that food allergies are to blame. doubled Most of these affect children. Researchers looked at data from GP surgeries in the UK and found food allergies had increased from 0.4% to 1.1% of the population across all age groups.
Since 2014, the increase has been less pronounced, possibly due to advice from NHS and medical staff to introduce potential food allergens into the diet of children under 12 months of age. Early introduction appears to greatly reduce the risk of developing allergies to foods such as peanuts and eggs. But I don't know what happened recently. The Lancet public health analysis could not extend beyond 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic affected GP visits and data.
This rise in allergies is not unique to the UK. It is increasing all over the world. What explains this? Experts have many hypotheses, all of which need to be tested. Food allergies are caused when the immune system overreacts to certain foods, releasing chemicals that cause symptoms such as itchy skin and hives, swelling of the face, eyes, and lips, difficulty breathing, and even cardiac arrest. Masu. In other words, the food substance is causing the immune system to malfunction. As medical anthropologist Theresa MacPhail puts it: “If your immune response is triggered by the wrong thing, it will die trying to protect you.”
One possible explanation is the rise of a “Western” diet that is rich in ultra-processed foods. 2022 Survey A study of approximately 3,000 children and 4,256 adults in the United States suggested that consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with allergic symptoms in children and adolescents. Perhaps it is only now that the negative effects of ultra-processed foods are truly felt. recognizedas data is collected and analyzed. There is a close relationship between the gut microbiome and the immune system. Similar concerns have been raised about a possible association with gastrointestinal cancers in young people.
Another theory is that people who develop allergies are are deficient in vitamin Da vitamin that our bodies produce when exposed to sunlight. Research shows that children are spending more time indoors looking at screens instead of playing outdoors. This is not just a post-pandemic trend. This has been happening for more than a decade, paralleling the rise in the use of tablets, gaming consoles, and mobile phones.
Other explanations commonly used include: Antibiotics in infants those that affect the gastrointestinal tract (in the case of ear infections and other illnesses); increasing air pollution and Early exposure to skin infections. The health community continues to look to scientists like Turner, who is also a pediatric allergy consultant, to test different hypotheses about why these allergies develop and what can be done to prevent them in children. I'll go.
People with severe allergies need to be supported by increasing awareness in the food and drink industry to ensure proper labeling and prevent cross-contamination. By moving to “allergen-free” environments, including on airplanes and at schools. And by giving people widespread access to EpiPens and other treatments, we can prevent life-threatening accidents. Turner led another person. analysis As a result, it was discovered that many patients were suffering from severe allergic reactions but were not being prescribed these pens.
We are just beginning to understand the rise in food allergies. This is a topic ripe for further research, as it can literally be a matter of life or death.
