Many mothers over exaggerate the extent of food allergies in their babies.

Latest research suggests that mothers' fears of allergies in babies are unfounded.

A recent study by scientists at the University of Portsmouth suggests that parents are wrongly reporting that their child has an allergic reaction.

In the study, over 800 babies were monitored for 3 years. More than a third of the parents, mostly mothers, said that their child had a food intolerance. But the scientists discovered that only 27 had any food allergies at age three - out of more than 250 reported with allergies. Indeed, fewer than 60 had allergies at any stage in the monitoring.

The study also suggests that incidences of allergies are not increasing, despite many popular claims to the contrary.

The researcher responsible for the study, Carina Venter, stated that many parents often blame “every rash, tummy ache, diarrhoea and crying to food allergy or intolerance." Symptoms such as rashes, itching or developing hives or eczema were often attributed to food intolerance, with no actual evidence that this was in fact the case.

Wrongly accused foods
Milk, eggs, fruit - mainly strawberries and citrus fruit - additives and wheat, peanuts, fish and soya were all commonly claimed sources of allergies. However the most likely sources of food allergies are peanuts, eggs, milk, wheat, brazil and almond nuts.

Dr Venter said: "Why food allergies haven't increased isn't clear. Asthma, eczema and hay fever are growing, and we thought food allergies were too.

Further Information
The study was partly funded by the Food Standards Agency. You can visit their web site here The Food Standards Agency Web Site

The study was conducted at the University Of Portsmouth, you can get more information here: Mothers fear food unnecessarily by The University Of Portsmouth.


This content was created on Thu 31 January 2008

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