Epidemiological change of atopic dermatitis and food allergy in school-aged children in Korea between 1995 and 2000

Abstract

Little is known about the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and food allergy outside North America and Europe. We evaluated the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and food allergy with the comparison of prevalence between 1995 and 2000 in Korea and evaluated the correlation of prevalence between atopic dermatitis and food allergy. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on random samples of schoolchildren 6 to 14 yr at two time points, 1995 and 2000 throughout Korea. The last twelve months prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Korean school-aged children was increased from 1995 to 2000. The twelve-month prevalence of atopic dermatitis and food allergy were higher in Seoul than in any other provincial cities in 1995, but the prevalence of both diseases in Seoul and Provincial Centers became to be similar in 2000. The rate responded to food allergy of children with atopic dermatitis (9.5%) was lower than that of the western countries (60%). And our data demonstrated paternal and maternal allergy history is very significantly correlated to developing atopic dermatitis in their offspring. The further objective evaluations are required to confirm these outcomes because the environmental and risk factors may be different among the countries according to their living cultures.

Fig. 1

The aged matched comparison of twelve month prevalence of atopic dermatitis between 1995 and 2000 in school-aged children in Seoul Center, Korea. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Seoul Center was decreased with age in both 1995 and 2000. (E): Elementary school, (M): middle school.

Fig. 2

The age matched comparison of prevalence of atopic dermatitis between 1995 and 2000 in school-aged children in Provincial Center, Korea. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Provincial Center was decreased with age in both 1995 and 2000.