food allergy statistics

As you may already know, my son, Henri, has food allergies (egg, peanut, tree nuts, & shellfish). I received the following statistics in my e-mail box today. Finding them interesting, I'm posting them here.

Nearly 12 million Americans have food allergies

6-8 % of children are affected

1-2% of adults are affected

200,000 Minnesotans have food allergies

30,000 K-12 Minnesota students have food allergies

Shellfish is the most common allergy among adults

Milk and egg are the most common allergies among babies and toddlers

20% outgrow peanut allergy

80% outgrow milk allergy

The allergens causing the most reactions in the U.S. are:
Milk
Egg
Fish
Shellfish
Peanut
Treenut
Wheat
Soy

Other common allergens in the U.S. are sesame and kiwi

Severe food allergy reactions account for 50,000 ER visits per year in the U.S.

Food allergic reactions cause at least 150 deaths per year (3 times as many that die from bee stings)

Any allergen can cause a severe reaction - not just peanuts and shellfish. It depends on the individual.