title: [Food allergies and intolerance--epidemiologic studies].
abstract: The lack of standardized definitions and reliable test methods disclosed a wide field of often incorrect speculation on the incidence and importance of allergies and intolerance reactions to food and its ingredients. It was only recently that, based on guidelines in statements from national and international scientific societies, serious studies were initiated to determine the correct incidence and prevalence of these problems. First results clearly document that lay people and the press overestimate the role of food as causative agent for disease, which might result in unjustified dietary restrictions and exaggerate the problem, whereas the scientific community might have underestimated the dimensions. New developments in the field of antigen characterization and new guidelines for a correct test performance should soon enable unproven alternative methods which frequently hurt the person concerned more than they help, to be disposed of.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Hautklinik, Graz.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Aberer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
vernacular_title: Nahrungsmittel-Allergien und-Intoleranzen--Epidemiologische Studien.