Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis continued to increase in Swedish children up to 2007, but asthma and eczema levelled off from 1991.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated whether allergies among schoolchildren increased in Sweden between 1979 and 2007 and whether the geographical differences observed in previous studies remained.


METHODS
We collected questionnaire data on asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) and eczema in children aged seven to eight years from Mölndal, Gothenburg, in south-western Sweden and Kiruna in northern Sweden in 1979 (n = 4682), 1991 (n = 2481) and 2007 (n = 1029). The same regions and questions were used in all three studies, and extra questions on food allergy or intolerance were added in 2007.


RESULTS
In 1979, 1991 and 2007, the total prevalence of asthma was 2.5%, 5.7% and 7.1%, ARC was 5.5%, 8.1% and 11.1% and eczema was 7.1%, 18.3% and 19.7%, respectively. Asthma prevalence remained higher in Kiruna, but no significant regional differences were seen for ARC and eczema. Almost 20% reported a history of food allergy or intolerance, with a higher prevalence in Kiruna. The allergy risk was reduced if both parents were born outside Sweden.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of ARC continued to increase between 1991 and 2007, but increases in asthma and eczema started to level off in 1991. Some geographical differences remained, but total allergy rates were similar in Kiruna and Mölndal in 2007.
Paediatric Outpatient Clinic, Angered Hospital, Angered-Gothenburg, Sweden.
Anna
A
Hicke-Roberts
Department of Paediatrics, University of Gothenburg, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Nils
N
Åberg
Department of Paediatrics, University of Gothenburg, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Göran
G
Wennergren
Department of Paediatrics, University of Gothenburg, Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Data and Analysis Unit, Västra Götaland Health Care Department, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Bill
B
Hesselmar
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic / Q000453:epidemiology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
Allergy; Asthma; Eczema; Food intolerance; Prevalence