Tuesday, 9 December 2014: 10:40 - 11:00
Exhibition Hall-Poster Area (Sul America)
Background: The objective of this study was to know the prevalence of food allergy in preschool children enrolled in municipal daycare centers from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Methods: This is an observational study that enrolled children from 24 to 59 months in municipal daycare centers from Uberlândia. A self-administered questionnaire that was used to evaluate the prevalence of food allergy related by parents; subsequently, children with a suspecting food allergy were invited to a clinical and laboratory evaluation, in order to know the real prevalence of food allergy.
Results: 13,841 children enrolled, 8,031 parents responded the questionnaire. The prevalence of food allergy reported by parents was 17.6% and the main foods mentioned were cow milk, pork, fruit, chocolate and chicken egg, and associated symptoms were red spots (54.2%), vomit (39.6%), diarrhea (32.1%), abdominal pain (31.4%), mouth and eyes edema (17.5%) and nose secretion (10.6%). After clinical and lab evaluation, the prevalece of food allergy found was 0.59% of preschool children, which 0.35% was IgE -mediated and 0.24% was non- IgE mediated reactions. The egg was the main food allergen, reaching 0.34% of preschool children, followed by cow milk (0.21%), wheat and pork meat (0.06%), corn, mustard, honey and fish (0.03%). The main symptoms were red spots and itching (52.6%), diarrhea (42%), eyes edema and abdominal pain (36.8%).
Conclusions: The prevalence of food allergy in preschool children found was inferior than described previously. There is a great difference in the parental perception and the real prevalence of food allergy. Several patients was undergoing an inadequate diet exclusion, that results in a reduction of quality of life and could impact in the nutritional status.
Methods: This is an observational study that enrolled children from 24 to 59 months in municipal daycare centers from Uberlândia. A self-administered questionnaire that was used to evaluate the prevalence of food allergy related by parents; subsequently, children with a suspecting food allergy were invited to a clinical and laboratory evaluation, in order to know the real prevalence of food allergy.
Results: 13,841 children enrolled, 8,031 parents responded the questionnaire. The prevalence of food allergy reported by parents was 17.6% and the main foods mentioned were cow milk, pork, fruit, chocolate and chicken egg, and associated symptoms were red spots (54.2%), vomit (39.6%), diarrhea (32.1%), abdominal pain (31.4%), mouth and eyes edema (17.5%) and nose secretion (10.6%). After clinical and lab evaluation, the prevalece of food allergy found was 0.59% of preschool children, which 0.35% was IgE -mediated and 0.24% was non- IgE mediated reactions. The egg was the main food allergen, reaching 0.34% of preschool children, followed by cow milk (0.21%), wheat and pork meat (0.06%), corn, mustard, honey and fish (0.03%). The main symptoms were red spots and itching (52.6%), diarrhea (42%), eyes edema and abdominal pain (36.8%).
Conclusions: The prevalence of food allergy in preschool children found was inferior than described previously. There is a great difference in the parental perception and the real prevalence of food allergy. Several patients was undergoing an inadequate diet exclusion, that results in a reduction of quality of life and could impact in the nutritional status.