A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of food allergies among children younger than ages 14 years in a Beijing urban region

摘要

Background:The prevalence of food allergies has increased over the past several decades, but little is known about this issue in Beijing. Objective:The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of food allergies in the Beijing urban areaand to summarize the clinical features and common food allergens in children Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study of children ages 014 years who were recruited from 10 kindergartens and 20 primary and middle schools in two communitiesin the central region (Xicheng district). After the administration of a screening questionnaire, those who reported symptoms of food allergies were interviewed for further diagnoses. All data were analyzed by using 2 tests. Results:Of the 13,073 enrolledchildren, 423 children (3.2%) were deemed by physicians to probably have food allergies. The boys exhibited a significantly higher prevalence than did the girls (3.6 versus 2.9%, respectively, p Conclusion:The total prevalence of probable food allergiesin children <14 years of age in the Beijing urban area was 3.2%, and the prevalences were different between genders and among ages and foods. Skin symptoms were the most common manifestation. Fruit and seafood were the most common allergens.