The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 119, Issue 6 , Pages 1504-1510 , June 2007

Prevalence of self-reported food allergy in American adults and use of food labels

  • Katherine A. Vierk, MPH

      Affiliations

    • From the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Katherine Vierk, MPH, US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, HFS-728, College Park, MD 20740.
    • ,
  • Kathleen M. Koehler, PhD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • From the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration
    • Dr Koehler is currently affiliated with the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Washington, DC.
    • ,
  • Sara B. Fein, PhD

      Affiliations

    • From the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration
    • ,
  • Debra A. Street, PhD

      Affiliations

    • From the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration

Received 12 June 2006 ,Revised 12 March 2007 ,Accepted 12 March 2007.

References 

  1. Sampson HA. Food allergy. JAMA. 1997;278:1888–1894
  2. Sicherer SH, Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson HA. Prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy in the United States determined by means of a random digit dial telephone survey: a 5-year follow-up study. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003;112:1203–1207
  3. Sicherer SH, Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson HA. Prevalence of seafood allergy in the United States determined by a random telephone survey. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004;114:159–165
  4. Altman DR, Chiaramonte LT. Public perception of food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996;97:1247–1251
  5. Woods RK, Abramson M, Bailey M, Walters EH. International prevalences of reported food allergies and intolerances. Comparisons arising from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) 1991-1994. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2001;55:298–304
  6. Section 555-250 Statement of policy for labeling and preventing cross-contact of common food allergens. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Revised 2005. Available at: http://www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/cpg/cpgfod/cpg555-250.htm. Accessed December 14, 2005.
  7. Joshi P, Mofidi S, Sicherer SH. Interpretation of commercial food ingredient labels by parents of food allergic children. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002;109:1019–1021
  8. The American Association for Public Opinion Research. Standard definitions: final disposition of case codes and outcome rates for surveys, 2000 (used definition for response rate #5). Available at: http://www.aapor.org/default.asp?page=survey_methods/standards_and_best_practices/standard_definitions#response. Accessed April 11, 2007.
  9. The Current Populations Survey data for 2001 were obtained from the joint Bureau of Labor Statistics and United States Census Bureau FERRET data archive and retrieval web-site. Available at: http://dataferrett.census.gov. Accessed April 11, 2007.
  10. Sampson HA. Update on food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004;113:805–819
  11. Kanny G, Moneret-Vautrin D, Flabbee J, Beaudouin E, Morisset M, Thevnin F. Population study of food allergy in France. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001;108:133–140
  12. Zuberbier T, Edenharter G, Worm M, Ehlers I, Reimann S, Hantke T, et al. Prevalence of adverse reactions to food in Germany—a population study. Allergy. 2004;59:338–345
  13. Schaferr T, Bohler E, Ruhdorfer S, Weigl L, Wessner D, Heinrich J, et al. Epidemiology of food allergy/food intolerance in adults: associations with other manifestations of atopy. Allergy. 2001;54:1172–1179
  14. Jansen JJ, Kardinaal AF, Huijbers G, Vlieg-Boerstra BJ, Martens BP, Ockhuizen T. Prevalence of food allergy and intolerance in the adult Dutch population. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1994;93:446–456
  15. Bjornsson E, Janson C, Plaschke P, Norrman E, Sjoberg O. Prevalence of sensitization to food allergens in adult Swedes. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1996;77:327–332
  16. Altschul AS, Scherrer DL, Munoz-Furlong A, Sicherer SH. Manufacturing and labeling issues for commercial products: relevance to food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001;108:468
  17. Quantitative consumer survey on allergen labeling: Benchmark survey 2003. Food Standards Australia New Zealand, 2004. Available at: www.foodstandards.gov.au. Accessed April 11, 2007.

 Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: The authors have declared that they have no conflict of interest.

PII: S0091-6749(07)00575-1

doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2007.03.011

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 119, Issue 6 , Pages 1504-1510 , June 2007

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