Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2014 Mar;6(2):131-136. 10.4168/aair.2014.6.2.131.

Prevalence of Immediate-Type Food Allergy in Early Childhood in Seoul

• Park M
• Kim D
• Ahn K
• Kim J
• Han Y

• KMID: 2260257
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2014.6.2.131

Abstract

PURPOSE
There are scanty epidemiologic data on the prevalence of food allergy (FA) among preschool children in Asia. We performed this study to determine the prevalence and causative foods of immediate-type FA in early childhood in Korea.
METHODS
A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was performed between September and October 2011. Children aged 0-6 years were recruited from 301 public child care centers in Seoul. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire on FA. Children with FA were classified into "perceived FA, ever," "immediate-type FA, ever," and "immediate-type FA, current" according to the algorithm.
RESULTS
A total of 16,749 children were included in this study. The prevalence of "perceived FA, ever," "immediate-type FA, ever," and "immediate-type FA, current" was 15.1%, 7.0%, and 3.7%, respectively. "Immediate-type FA, current" was reported by 182 (4.9%) out of 3,738 children aged < or =2 years, 262 (3.4%) of 7,648 children aged 3-4 years, and 177 (3.3%) of 5,363 children aged 5-6 years. Hen's egg (126/621) was the most frequent cause as the individual food item, followed by cow's milk (82/621) and peanut (58/621). Among the food groups, fruits (114/621), tree nuts (90/621) and crustaceans (85/621) were the most common offending foods. The three leading causes of food-induced anaphylaxis were hen's egg (22/47), cow's milk (15/47), and peanut (14/47).
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of immediate-type FA in early childhood is 3.7%, and is higher in younger children. The most common offending foods differed with age.

Keyword

Immediate hypersensitivity; child; food allergy; prevalence

MeSH Terms

Anaphylaxis
Asia
Child
Child Care
Child, Preschool
Cross-Sectional Studies
Food Hypersensitivity*
Fruit
Humans
Hypersensitivity, Immediate
Korea
Methods
Milk
Nuts
Ovum
Parents
Prevalence*
Seoul*
Surveys and Questionnaires

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Algorithm for the definition of immediate-type food allergy.

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  Fig. 2 Common food allergens in children with current immediate-type food allergy.

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  Fig. 3 Common food allergens of anaphylaxis in children with current immediate-type food allergy.

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