title: Food allergy among children in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goals were to estimate the prevalence of food allergy and to describe trends in food allergy prevalence and health care use among US children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of data on food allergy among children <18 years of age, as reported in the 1997-2007 National Health Interview Survey, 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1993-2006 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, and 1998-2006 National Hospital Discharge Survey, was performed. Reported food allergies, serum immunoglobulin E antibody levels for specific foods, ambulatory care visits, and hospitalizations were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2007, 3.9% of US children <18 years of age had reported food allergy. The prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18% (z = 3.4; P < .01) from 1997 through 2007. In 2005-2006, serum immunoglobulin E antibodies to peanut were detectable for an estimated 9% of US children. Ambulatory care visits tripled between 1993 and 2006 (P < .01). From 2003 through 2006, an estimated average of 317000 food allergy-related, ambulatory care visits per year (95% confidence interval: 195000-438000 visits per year) to emergency and outpatient departments and physician's offices were reported. Hospitalizations with any recorded diagnoses related to food allergy also increased between 1998-2000 and 2004-2006, from an average of 2600 discharges per year to 9500 discharges per year (z = 3.4; P < .01), possibly because of increased use of food allergy V codes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several national health surveys indicate that food allergy prevalence and/or awareness has increased among US children in recent years.
authors.affiliation: Infant, Child, and Women's Health Statistics Branch, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782-2003, USA. ambranum@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Branum
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lukacs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010367:Arachis / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E