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International prevalences of reported food allergies and intolerances. Comparisons arising from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) 1991–1994

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 55, pages 298–304 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the prevalence, type and reported symptoms associated with food intolerance.

Design: A cross-sectional epidemiological study involving 15 countries using standardized methodology. Participants answered a detailed interviewer-administered questionnaire and took part in blood, lung function and skin prick tests to common aeroallergens.

Setting: Randomly selected adults who took part in the second phase of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS).

Subjects: The subjects were 17280 adults aged 20–44 y.

Results: Twelve percent of respondents reported food allergy/intolerance (range 4.6% in Spain to 19.1% in Australia). Atopic females who had wheezed in the past 12 months, ever had asthma or were currently taking oral asthma medications were significantly more likely to report food allergy/intolerance. Participants from Scandinavia or Germany were significantly more likely than those from Spain to report food allergy/intolerance. Respondents who reported breathlessness as a food-related symptom were more likely to have wheezed in the past 12 months, to have asthma, use oral asthma medications, be atopic, have bronchial hyperreactivity, be older and reside in Scandinavia.

Conclusion: Self-reported food allergy/intolerance differed significantly across multiple countries. The reasons for these differences were not explored in this study, but are likely to be largely due to cultural differences.

Sponsorship: Rosalie Woods holds a postdoctoral research fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (no. 9797/0883).

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2001) 55, 298–304

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash Medical School, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia

    RK Woods, M Abramson & M Bailey

  2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Monash Medical School, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Victoria, Australia

    EH Walters

Authors
  1. RK Woods
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  2. M Abramson
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  3. M Bailey
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  4. EH Walters
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Consortia

on behalf of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS)

Contributions

Guarantor: RK Woods.

Contributors: RKW obtained international data, data analysis and wrote the manuscript; MA was chief investigator for the Melbourne centre, conceived this analysis, liaised with ECRHS project management committee, and approved the final manuscript; MB performed the logistic regression analysis and approved the final manuscript; EHW was investigator for the Melbourne centre and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to RK Woods.

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Woods, R., Abramson, M., Bailey, M. et al. International prevalences of reported food allergies and intolerances. Comparisons arising from the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) 1991–1994. Eur J Clin Nutr 55, 298–304 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601159

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601159

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