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Why the world is becoming more allergic to food
Inquiries into the deaths of British teenagers after
eating buttermilk, sesame and peanut have highlighted the
sometimes tragic consequences. Last year, a six-year-old
girl in Western Australia died as the result of a dairy allergy.
The rise in allergies in recent decades has been
particularly noticeable in the West. Food allergy now affects
about 7% of children in the UK and 9% of those in Australia,
for example. Across Europe, 2% of adults have food
allergies.
Life-threatening reactions can be prompted even by
traces of the trigger foods, meaning patients and families
live with fear and anxiety. The dietary restrictions which
follow can become a burden to social and family lives.
While we can't say for sure why allergy rates are
increasing, researchers around the world are working hard
to find ways to combat this phenomenon.
The increase in allergies is not simply the effect of
society becoming more aware of them and better at
diagnosing them.
It is thought that allergies and increased sensitivity
to foods are probably environmental, and related to
Western lifestyles.
We know there are lower rates of allergies in
developing countries. They are also more likely to occur in
urban rather than rural areas.
Factors may include pollution, dietary changes and
less exposure to microbes, which change how our immune
systems respond.
Migrants appear to show a higher prevalence of
asthma and food allergy in their adopted country compared
to their country of origin, further illustrating the importance
of environmental factors.
SANTOS, Alexandra. 2019. Disponível em:
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-46302780. Acesso em 14
jun. 2021.