Problems of eating out with nut allergies

Monday, 13 December 2010 11:48

Thirty-two nut allergic adults in the UK have taken part in a qualitative interview study to identify and explore the challenges of eating out with a food allergy. Most said they adopted strategies involving either avoidance or communication to manage the issues of eating outside the home.

Many of the participants reported feeling embarrassed about checking whether the food on offer may contain nuts, and sometimes took increased risks so as to avoid this. Others admitted they did not always tell restaurant staff about their allergies as they thought staff would take a conservative approach that would further limit the number of menu items on offer.

Reference: Leftwich et al. 2010. Clinical and Experimental Allergy. DOI. 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2010.03649.x.