Americans May be Over-diagnosing Themselves with Food Allergies

“Food allergy is a costly, potentially life-threatening health condition that can adversely affect patients’ well-being”.

A study of 40 443 US adults, published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, estimates that nearly 19 percent of adults think they have food allergies, but approximately 10.8% actually do. Additionally, only 1 in 20 are estimated to have a physician-diagnosed food allergy. A substantial proportion of adults with food allergy who may be at elevated risk of anaphylaxis do not report having a current epinephrine prescription. 

Study also shows that food allergies are common and severe among US adults, often starting in adulthood. 

The research shows that the 5 most common convincing food allergies reported among adults are:

• Shellfish, affecting an estimated 7.2 million US adults
• Milk, 4.7 million
• Peanut, 4.5 million
• Tree nut, 3 million
• Fin fish, 2.2 million

Egg (2.0 million), wheat (2.0 million), soy (1.5 million), and sesame (0.5 million) are the next most common food allergies.

Read more about the study

CBS Interview with Dr. Tania Elliott, an allergist with NYU Langone Health