A new study found that 1 in 10 adults has a food allergy. The survey, published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open, studied more than 40,000 U.S. adults, nearly half of the food-allergic adults developed allergies during adulthood.
Melanie So did not have allergies as a child, but that changed as an adult.
“It changes every part of your life,” So said.
The lobster and shrimp So loved was suddenly off limits. It started after the birth of one of her children. Her allergy to shellfish was so severe that she didn’t even have to eat or touch it, touching someone after they had eaten it was enough for her to have a reaction.
“As we said goodbye, we hugged and kissed on the cheek,” So explained.
As she walked to her car she began to have a reaction.
“People with allergies don’t always carry epinephrine,” Dr. Sandra Hong, Cleveland Clinic Allergist said. But she said they should because, “these are severe, life threatening reactions.”
Shellfish allergy was the most common, followed by dairy and peanut.
