Behaviour of food-allergic college students

Recent research reported that almost one quarter of food allergy-related fatalities occurred in college-aged individuals (18 to 22 years), yet college students have not previously been studied thoroughly with regard to food allergies. Results of a survey on a college population at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, to determine current trends in food allergy and potential risk-taking behaviours pertaining to food allergy, have recently been published.

A survey was randomly e-mailed to 14,990 undergraduate students, with 513 responding. Two hundred and ninety three of the respondents reported they had a known food allergy or had likely suffered an allergic reaction attributable to food. The survey revealed the most commonly reported food allergies to be to milk, fish, tree nut, peanut, and shellfish.

Of those reported to have a food allergy, only around 50% said they maintained some kind of emergency medication, such as self-injectable epinephrine (21%). Only 6.6% of this group reported always carrying this device. Medication maintenance was significantly lower among students who had not had a reaction while enrolled at the college.

Almost 12% of the respondents said that foods at the college dining halls were always labelled to identify allergen content, and only 36% reported that a main course alternative was available for those with dietary restrictions. Alarmingly, 60% of the respondents with allergies reported they continue to willingly ingest a known food allergen.

The study highlights a trend toward risk-taking behaviour by food-allergic college students, yet it would also appear that colleges may not be equipped to handle the needs of food allergic students. The authors suggest that colleges screen to identify food-allergic students and provide for further education and periodic follow up. They also recommend that residence hall staff be trained to use self-injectable epinephrine and consider stocking on-campus first aid kits with self-injectable epinephrine devices.

Reference: Greenhawt et al. 2009. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology DOI:10.1016/j.jaci.2009.05.028