Children with food allergy have greater risk of asthma

Monday, 02 March 2009 20:34

The inter-relationship of food allergy and asthma is not well understood, however a study just published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy has found there is a higher prevalence of asthma in children who have food allergy. The association is higher in those with multiple food allergies or severe food allergy, especially in older children.

These findings, from research conducted in Chicago on 271 children aged 6 years or older and 296 children younger than 6 years old, were independent of markers of atopy such as aeroallergen sensitization and family history of asthma.  In addition, children with food allergy were found to develop asthma earlier and at higher prevalence than children without food allergy.

Reference: Schroeder A. et al 2009. Clinical and Experimental Allergy.  Vol. 39(2):261-70