Prevalence
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that peanut allergy is one of the most common causes of food-related death. However, there is an increasing body of medical opinion that, while there definitely are food sensitivities, the dramatic rise in frequency of nut allergies and more particularly the measures taken in response to the threat show elements of mass psychogenic illness, hysterical reactions grossly out of proportion to the level of danger: "About 3.3 million Americans are allergic to nuts, and even more—6.9 million—are allergic to seafood. However, all told, serious allergic reactions to foods cause just 2000 hospitalisations a year (out of more than 30 million hospitalisations nationwide). And only 150 people (children and adults) die each year from all food allergies combined." Media sensationalism has also been blamed.
Prevalence among adults and children is similar—around 1%—but at least one study shows it to be on the rise in children in the United States. The number of young children affected doubled between 1997 and 2002. 20% of children with a peanut allergy outgrow it. In the USA, about 10 people per year die from peanut allergies.
One study has shown that peanut allergies also correlate with ethnicity; in particular, Native Americans are less prone to be allergic to peanuts.
Read more about this topic: Peanut Allergy
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