Food insecurity in children and adults with food allergies.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
; 129(4): 424-429, 2022 10.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2235375
ABSTRACT
Food allergy is a substantial public health concern associated with risk of severe or potentially life-threatening reactions and requiring life-altering changes in dietary habits. This increasingly prevalent health concern is associated with adverse medical, nutritional, psychosocial, and economic effects on the estimated 32 million affected individuals in the United States. Management of food allergy requires life-altering dietary modifications and constant vigilance to avoid implicated allergens to minimize the risk of anaphylaxis, which can lead to considerable anxiety and reduced quality of life. Specialized diets are expensive and often difficult to access, particularly for low-income and minority individuals with food allergy. The overlap of food insecurity with diet-treated illnesses further increases the burden on patients with food allergies and their families, with overall rates of food insecurity increasing substantially during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Universal screening to identify food insecure households and connect them with appropriate resources is a critical step in addressing unmet needs at the individual and family level. At the systems level, integrated advocacy approaches addressing the complex interplay between multiple societal issues such as poverty, systemic racism, wage inequality, housing insecurity, lack of transportation, and other social determinants of health are vital to ensure access to safe, healthy, nutritionally complete options for patients with food allergies and their families.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Food Hypersensitivity
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adult
/
Child
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
Journal subject:
Allergy and Immunology
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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