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. 2017 Sep;9(5):410-416.
doi: 10.4168/aair.2017.9.5.410.

Prevalence of Immediate-Type Food Allergy in Korean Schoolchildren in 2015: A Nationwide, Population-based Study

Minji Kim  1   2 , Ji Young Lee  1   2 , Hyun Young Jeon  2 , Hea Kyoung Yang  1   2 , Kee Jae Lee  3 , Youngshin Han  2 , Yang Hee Kim  2 , Jihyun Kim  1   2 , Kangmo Ahn  1   4
Affiliations

Prevalence of Immediate-Type Food Allergy in Korean Schoolchildren in 2015: A Nationwide, Population-based Study

Minji Kim et al. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 2017 Sep.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of immediate-type food allergy (FA) among schoolchildren in Korea.

Methods: A nationwide, cross-sectional study was performed in September 2015. A stratified random sample of 50,000 participants was selected from children and adolescents aged 6-7 years (n=17,500), 9-10 years (n=17,500), 12-13 years (n=7,500), and 15-16 years (n=7,500). Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire on the detailed history of immediate-type FA.

Results: A total of 32,001 (64.0%) responded to the questionnaire survey, and 29,842 children (59.7%) were analyzed after adjusting for missing data. The number of the cases in each age group was 9,671 (6-7 years), 9,756 (9-10 years), 5,169 (12-13 years), and 5,246 (15-16 years). The prevalence of lifetime perceived FA was 15.82%. The prevalence of current immediate-type FA was 4.06% in total, with 3.15% in 6- to 7-year-olds, 4.51% in 9- to 10-year-olds, 4.01% in 12- to 13-year-olds, and 4.49% in 15- to 16-year-olds. Among individual food items, peanut (0.22%) was the most frequent causative food, followed by hen's egg (0.21%), cow's milk (0.18%), and buckwheat (0.13%). Among the food groups, fruits (1.41%), crustaceans (0.84%), tree nuts (0.32%), and fish (0.32%) were the most common offending foods. The prevalence of food-induced anaphylaxis was 0.97%. The most frequent causative food of anaphylaxis was peanut (0.08%), followed by cow's milk (0.07%), buckwheat (0.06%), and hen's egg (0.06%), while fruits (0.28%), crustaceans (0.18%), tree nuts (0.12%), and fish (0.09%) were the most commonly responsible food groups.

Conclusions: The prevalence of current immediate-type FA and food-induced anaphylaxis in Korean schoolchildren in 2015 was 4.06% and 0.97%, respectively. Peanuts, cow's milk, hen's egg, fruits, crustaceans, and tree nuts are common allergens.

Keywords: Immediate type; children; food allergy.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no financial or other issues that might lead to conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Algorithm for identifying immediate-type FA. FA, food allergy.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Prevalence of perceived FA and current immediate-type FA in Korean schoolchildren in 2015. FA, food allergy.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3. Prevalence of current immediate-type FA in Korean schoolchildren in 2015, according to allergen. FA, food allergy.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4. Prevalence of food-induced anaphylaxis in Korean schoolchildren in 2015, according to allergen.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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