As many as one in every 12 kids in the United States may have a food allergy, according to a new study.

The latest study shows food allergies are more widespread than previously thought, and perhaps even more dangerous.

“Understanding how common it is and how severe it is, that’s important to note,” said Dr. Ruchi S. Gupta, pediatrician and researcher at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  “It’s very important that people understand that this is very real.

The survey of nearly 40,000 U.S. parents found that nearly eight percent of children under the age of 18, about six million of them, have a food allergy. Researchers also concluded that nearly 40 percent of those reactions are severe, and nearly one-third have sensitivities to more than one food, according to Gupta, lead author of a study published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.

“The most common food allergy — of all children with a food allergy, the most common food allergy was peanut allergy. About 25 percent of kids had a peanut allergy,” Dr. Gupta said. “About 21 percent of kids with a food allergy had a milk allergy, and then shellfish. And then other common food allergy include egg, wheat, soy, fin fish and tree nuts.”

The question we want to know is – why?  Why the increase in allergies?

That question is still being studied.  But Dr. Gupta mentions some of the theories:

“Our immune systems aren’t able to fight the germs they used to fight, and so they are fighting things they shouldn’t be fighting, like food and environment. Other theories are about how our Western diet is today, how the foods, the pesticides, maybe it’s changing our gut flora, so we’re more susceptible to food allergy.”

Dr. Gupta said a large study is being conducted called the National Children’s Study which will follow children from before birth until 18. By collecting genetic material and environmental material, maybe one way, we will have the answers.

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