Allergy Info - Statistics
Allergies and food intolerances are growing due to the increased/prolonged use of chemicals, genetic modification, pollution and our “clean lives” - we are not exposed to allergens at a young age which prevents us building up resistance. This is exacerbated by our general reliance on a small number of foods that we consume meal-in/meal-out, day-in/day-out. It is the foods that we heavily rely on that we become intolerant to.
The percentage of people who have a dietary restriction is higher than some people might think:-
- 1 in 3 Britons suffer from an allergy, and this is growing
- 20% of people in the UK suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) at some point in their life. This is often a symptom of undiagnosed food intolerance.
- 20% of people in the UK perceive themselves to have an intolerance to food.
Statistics are hard to come by since food intolerance is not fully appreciated by the medical profession. However, this has been recognised by The Royal College of Physicians in the recent study named (Allergies) “The Unmet Need”, which recommends that more allergy training should be funded by the NHS and that more allergy centres are opened. The following information has been taken from a collection of reputable sources.
| Food Intolerance | Suggested Prevalence |
|---|---|
| Dairy/Lactose | 40% |
| Wheat | 15% |
| Yeast (aggravated by sugar) | 30% |
| Nuts | 1-2% |
| Gluten (Celiac) | 1% |
Sources include: Yorktest Laboratories, Allergy Magazine, Allergy Foundation, Lactose.co.uk, Anaphylaxis Campaign.
Membership Statistics
Many of our members suffer with more than one food allergy/intolerance - see below!
| Foods we Avoid | Percentage of Members |
|---|---|
| Wheat | 65% |
| Dairy | 63% |
| Gluten | 48% |
| Lactose | 40% |
| Egg | 28% |
| Nuts | 28% |
| Yeast | 27% |
| Soya | 15% |
Many of us also can’t eat bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, sesame seeds, shellfish, fish, coconut, various fruits and additives.
33% of us have to avoid 3 or more foods, and 10% avoid 5 or more foods!
