title: Food allergy: epidemiology and natural history.
abstract: The prevalence of food allergy is rising for unclear reasons, with prevalence estimates in the developed world approaching 10%. Knowledge regarding the natural course of food allergies is important because it can aid the clinician in diagnosing food allergies and in determining when to consider evaluation for food allergy resolution. Many food allergies with onset in early childhood are outgrown later in childhood, although a minority of food allergy persists into adolescence and even adulthood. More research is needed to improve food allergy diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Jimmy Fund Way, Smith Building, Room 516c, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Jimmy Fund Way, Smith Building, Room 626, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: jrsavage@partners.org.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Jimmy Fund Way, Smith Building, Room 516c, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Christina B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Johns
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D021181:Egg Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology*; D016269:Milk Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D021184:Nut Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D021183:Peanut Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D021182:Wheat Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E
keywords: Egg; Epidemiology; Food allergy; Milk; Natural history; Peanut