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Food allergies : a growing problem
Food allergies : a growing problem
Food allergies : a growing problem
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Peanuts are one of the most prevalent food allergens worldwide, and it has become a nemesis for many in recent years. Peanut allergies have been known to be life threatening, but only a few sufferers react with such extreme severity when exposed to peanuts. While peanut allergies have long-existed, it seems like it was very rarely heard of prior to the 1980s. In the last decade, peanut allergies have become the focus of media attention and controversy. However, the media is not as accurate as the public understands it to be. The sensationalized media reports, especially those publicized in the United States, on the subject of peanut allergy led to unnecessary public concern that created a larger spectacle of the issue than it is supposed to be. A food allergy is an exaggerated immune response triggered by a particular protein found in an allergen. Different people have different allergic reactions; ranging from mild to life threatening, whereby an anaphylactic reaction takes place. Symptoms of the allergic diseases may be caused by exposure of the skin to a chemical, of the respiratory system to particles of dust or any other substance, or of the stomach and intestines to a particular food (“What Is Food Allergy?”). In the last few decades, there seems to be an increased media and medical interest on the subject of allergies in general, but mostly on peanut allergies. According to Miranda Waggoner, a Princeton University researcher, no medical research agenda can be found prior to the 1980s. Are peanut allergies really getting more severe and prevalent that the medical community now puts a little more effort into studying the disorder? Or are people just more aware now that word travels faster than ever through the World Wide We... ... middle of paper ... ...ics. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Hunter, Marnie. "Peanuts on Planes Protected by Law." CNN. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. Karp, George. "Mom Works to Put Food Allergies on Airline's Radar." Chicago Tribune 11 Feb. 2014: n. pag. Chicago Tribune. Web. 21 Feb. 2014. "Shellfish Allergy." Allergist. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. Sicherer, Scott H., et al. "US Prevalence of Self-reported Peanut, Tree Nut, and Sesame Allergy: 11-year Follow-up." Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 125.6 (2010): 1322-26. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. Waggoner, Miranda R. "Parsing the Peanut Panic: The Social Life of a Contested Food Allergy Epidemic." ScienceDirect. ELSEVIER, 6 May 2013. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. "What Is Food Allergy?" National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
by having a nut allergy, such as tree nuts, peanuts or cashews. Any nut would be in that category
Psychguide (2016). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Symptoms, Causes and Effects. Retrieved August 20, 2016, from http://psychguides.com
A recent study in 2015 reports that over 15 million people in America have food allergies that is 1 in every 13 people under the age of 18. Making it very likely that somebody in this room is part of these 15 million American’s who have food allergies. If you are somebody who has food allergies, or you know of someone who has food allergies, this speech will help you better understand more about food allergies, so you can deal with food allergies and more importantly be more careful around other people who do. So today, I am going to be informing you about Food allergies.
...n potential death. What the FDA should do is support funding for more advertising, encouraging all citizens to be more aware with the potentially hazardous products they consume. I’m sure if people without food allergies were more aware of the potential harm their daily snack could cause to someone else, they would start to use a lot more caution.
Following my first sip of milk at the age of one, with the resulting hives and coughing that ensued, I involuntarily joined the community of fifteen million Americans afflicted by food allergies. Living everyday with additional allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish has, out of necessity, sharpened my compulsiveness with ingredients and food preparation, but furthermore has spurred me to intervene on behalf of fellow members in this emerging epidemic. The Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) national organization has been a source of education and support in my own life, and subsequently has aided my efforts to raise awareness among peers, and to nurture my advocacy involvement. Selected as a member of FARE’s Teen Advisory
Food allergies were reported, but not officially researched until 1976, when the public became aware of the immune system’s response to certain foods. The data collected showed that certain foods caused reactions in people, which provoked further research on such topics. Food allergy awareness came about in 1976 through newspapers and periodicals because of reports that people perished from ingesting food that they unknowingly had an allergic reaction to. A huge movement took place worldwide to show the dangers of food allergies. A few years later and as a result of this movement, the first Epi-Pen launched in the United States in 1980. Truly considered an amazing new beginning due to the fact that every three minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency department ("Food Allergy Facts and Statistics - FAAN").
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. “What is Crohn’s Disease?” 2014. Web. 13 May 2014 www.ccfa.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-crohns-disease/
"Food Safety Facts and Figures - Home Food Safety." Home Food Safety. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Web. 23 Feb 2014.
Some parents of children with peanut allergies are not asking their school to ban peanuts. They consider it more important that teachers know which children are likely to have a reaction, and how to deal with it when it happens; i.e., how to use an Epipen.
Quinn, P. (2012). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What Is ADHD?. WebMD. Retrieved on December 3, 2013, from
If a school is cooking with anything that has touched peanuts, a child that is allergic could have a serious reaction and could possibly die. This could be a small mistake, but would have grave consequences. Due to the vastly growing food allergies in kids,schools have to take better precautions. Schools collect their students information to see if they have any sort of food allergies. Parents are also talking to teachers and setting up plans so if there child has a reaction they know how to address the situation. If kids are allergic to anything, their parents usually pack their lunch. However, there are families who can not afford to buy foods their child's body can digest properly without having an allergic reaction. Gluten free and dairy free foods can be very expensive. One family, the Gordons, have a total of 6 people who live in the house, and 4 of them have food allergies to gluten and dairy and certain dyes. The eldest daughter and the father are the only members of the family who do not suffer from food allergies. The mother has to grocery shop 2 to 3 times a week for her daughter and husband who are allergy free, and also for herself and her children with allergies.This family luckily makes enough money to buy these special foods but this is not always the case. On average gluten free products are 242% more expensive than regular products.
"What Is a Blizzard?" Weather Questions. Weather Questions, 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
The Netflix Original documentary series, Rotten, highlights the health, economic, and social issues that surround food and animals, and showcases the understanding of that particular issue and its solution using science. The specific issue that will be discussed here along with its impact is related to food allergies. According to the documentary, food allergies have become considerably common in the last decade. They have a major impact on people, and it is extremely severe to the point where an individual may die. Food allergies have also revolutionized the way restaurants operate, and how chefs cook, because not doing so could result in the deaths of many people, especially children. In the episode, “The Peanut Problem”, researchers and
This is supported by the following statistic, “Australia has a relatively high prevalence of peanut allergy. Almost 3 in every 100 children have a peanut allergy” (Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, 2011). Anaphylaxis is a potentially life threatening, severe allergic reaction and should always be treated as a medical emergency (The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), 2013). An anaphylactic reaction occurs when an individual is exposed to an allergen, (for example peanuts) and whereby the individual is already extremely sensitive to the allergen. It is important to identify the causes of anaphylaxis due to the fact that it is so life threatening in most circumstances. The first line of treatment for anaphylaxis is adrenaline. The way that the adrenaline works is that it works rapidly to reverse the effects that anaphylaxis has on an individual. These injectors contain a single dose adrenaline and have been constructed and designed so that everyone can give them to an individual suffering from an anaphylactic reaction. These include people such as family members, friends, teachers etc. You have outlined what is anaphylaxis and allergic reaction but you have not related this to your
University of Maryland Medical Center. (2013, December 18). What is a Pediatrician?. Retrieved September 12, 2014, from http://umm.edu/programs/childrens/health/about/what-is-a-pediatrician