Allergies: the scourge of modern life?

Our ancestors didn ’t suffer from hay fever and food allergies were extremely rare even a few decades ago. What is causing the steep rise in their incidence now?To anyone from Generation X or older, it often feels like food allergies are far more common today than in their youth. While they remember them being rare or nonexistent in their school days, their own children will have classmates with allergies or they may have one themselves.According to theFood Standards Agency, estimates suggest that about 5-8% of children and 1-2% of adults are affected by food allergies in the UK. The recent headlines about fatal allergic reactions, such as that of twoPret a Manger customers, heighten the impression that food allergies are more commonplace.Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - October 20, 2018 Category: Science Authors: Vybarr Cregan-Reid Tags: Allergies Health Society Science Medical research Eczema Hay fever Source Type: news