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JACI Highlights - May 2006
Venter et al – Incidence of parentally reported and clinically diagnosed food hypersensitivity in the first year of life
Food hypersensitivity (FHS) is defined as an adverse reaction following food ingestion. FHS can be divided into either food allergy if immunologically mediated or non-allergic food hypersensitivity (previously referred to as food intolerance). Very few population-based studies have investigated the incidence of food hypersensitivity during the first year of life. In the May 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Venter et al studied the incidence of parentally reported food hypersensitivity and objectively diagnosed food hypersensitivity during the first year of life. They found that a quarter of parents report adverse reactions to foods in their infants during the first year of life. Of these, only an eighth were confirmed as FHS. The data emphasize the need for accurate diagnosis to prevent infants from being on unnecessarily restricted diets which may be associated with inadequate nutrition at this important period of growth and development. The paper also highlights the most frequent foods associated with FHS at one year of age, such as milk, eggs, and soy.
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