• Food allergy is a growing health concern in the U.S.
• More than 12 million Americans suffer from food allergy.
• About 3.1 million children in the U.S. have food allergies.
• One out of every 25 Americans has a food allergy.
• One in every 17 children under the age of 3 has a food allergy.
• Eight foods account for 90 percent of all reactions in the United States: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, etc.), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish.
• Severe reactions result in more than 50,000 emergency room visits each year.
• Food allergy is the leading cause of anaphylaxis outside of the hospital setting in the U.S.
• Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially fatal allergic reaction.
• Early administration of epinephrine is crucial to successfully treating anaphylaxis.
• It’s estimated that 150 people die each year from severe food allergy reactions.
• Most individuals who have had a reaction ate a food they thought was safe.
• A government study has shown that food allergy rates in children increased 18 percent from 1997 to 2007.
• Scientists don’t know why the incidence of food allergy is increasing.
• Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction.
• Food allergies are life-altering for everyone involved and require constant vigilance.
• There is no cure for food allergy.
• Strict avoidance of the allergy-causing food is the only way to prevent a reaction.
• FAAN’s mission is to increase public awareness, provide advocacy and education, and advance research on behalf of all those affected by food allergy and anaphylaxis.
