The prevalence of food allergy and other allergic diseases in early childhood in a population-based study: HealthNuts age 4-year follow-up

Journal article

Background

The HealthNuts study previously reported interim prevalence data showing the highest prevalence of challenge-confirmed food allergy in infants internationally. However population-derived prevalence data on challenge-confirmed food allergy and other allergic diseases in preschool-aged children remains sparse. This study aims to report the updated prevalence of food allergy at age 1 year from the whole cohort, and to report the prevalence of food allergy, asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis, at age 4 years.

Methods

HealthNuts is a population-based cohort study with baseline recruitment of 5276 1 year-old children who underwent SPT to 4 food allergens and those with detectable SPT had formal food challenges. At age 4 years, parents completed a questionnaire (81.3% completed) and those who previously attended the HealthNuts clinic at age 1 or reported symptoms of a new food allergy were invited for an assessment which included SPT and oral food challenges. Data on asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis were captured by validated ISAAC study questionnaires.

Results

The prevalence of challenge-confirmed food allergy at age 1 and 4 years was 11.0% and 3.8%, respectively. At age 4 years peanut allergy prevalence was 1.9% for peanut (95% CI 1.6-2.3%), egg allergy 1.2% (95% CI 0.9-1.6%), and sesame allergy 0.4% (95% CI 0.2-0.6%). Late-onset peanut allergy at age 4 years was rare (0.2%). The prevalence of current diagnosed asthma was 10.8% (95% CI 9.7-12.1%), current eczema 16.0 % (95% CI 14.7-17.4%) and current allergic rhinitis 8.3% (95% CI 7.2-9.4%). 40-50% of this population-based cohort experienced symptoms of an allergic disease in the first 4 years of their life.

Conclusions

Although the prevalence of food allergy decreased between ages 1 and age 4 years in this population based cohort, the prevalence of any allergic disease amongst 4 year old children in Melbourne, Australia, is remarkably high.

Authors: Peters, R; Koplin, J; Gurrin, L; Dharmage, S; Wake, M

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
• Volume: 140
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 145-153.e8
• Publication date: 2017-05-14
• Acceptance date: 2017-02-03
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.02.019
• EISSN: 1097-6825
• ISSN: 0091-6749
• Pmid: 28514997
• Language: English
• Keywords: skin tests; allergens; food allergy; female; population-based study; rhinitis, allergic; ovum; humans; longitudinal study; peanut allergy; eczema; follow-up studies; seafood; surveys and questionnaires; male; Australia; sesame allergy; prevalence; animals; milk; child, preschool; asthma; HealthNuts; infant; allergic rhinitis; food hypersensitivity; arachis; allergy; sesamum; egg allergy; HealthNuts Study