New survey of food allergy prevalence in Australia

A new study has identified that food allergies in Australia may be more prevalent than previously thought.

Results of a survey of almost 19,000 people in Australia by market research company Roy Morgan indicate there are approximately 836,000 people in this country with self-reported food allergies, with women being more likely than men to report having a food allergy.

In December 2009, almost 5% of Australians aged 14 years and over reported suffering from food allergies in the previous 12 months. Around 6.5% of women and a similar proportion of people under the age of 25 reported suffering food allergies, while only 3% of men in the survey reported suffering from food allergies during the same period.

In general terms, the profile of those who suffer from other medical conditions tends to include older people and those in lower socio-economic groups, whereas those reporting suffering from food allergies appear to be younger, better educated, and more affluent than the average person aged 14 years or more.

Roy Morgan maintain the results of their survey indicate levels of allergy prevalence twice as high as those reported by the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), which reports about 1 in 100 adults suffer from food allergies. They suggest their survey points to a large number of sufferers who are managing their condition without reporting it to their health care professionals, and believe food allergies are a larger health issue within the community than generally acknowledged.

With regard to food allergies, the survey required participants to rank statements such 'Milk/dairy products do not agree with me', and 'I avoid dairy food whenever possible' according to whether they agreed or disagreed. A broad range of other topics was also included in the survey, which was designed to assist companies targeting the food allergy market in understanding their audience.

More results from the survey can be accessed here.