. 2022 Nov 7;78(2):351–368. doi: 10.1111/all.15560

TABLE 2.

Time trends in the frequency of FA in Europe: estimates from studies published between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2021

Reference, country	Age(s) of subjects	Frequency of FA	Comments
Diwaker et al. 2017, United Kingdom ²⁹	Children 0–17 years old	Year 2000 Point prevalence of physician diagnosed FA: ‐ any FA: 0.6% ‐ eggs: 0.2% ‐ nuts: 0.1%	Year 2015 Point prevalence of physician diagnosed FA: ‐ any FA: 1.3% ‐ eggs: 0.3% ‐ nuts: 0.5%	Data were extracted from a conference abstract. The abstract reports on a population study based on routine primary care data. The objective was to "estimate the trends in prevalence of General Practitioner (GP) diagnosed allergies between 2000 and 2015 among United Kingdom (UK) children (0–17 years)”. To the scope, a primary care database representing 6% of the entire UK population was screened. Point prevalence of physician‐diagnosed FA was also measured for the following specific foods: nuts and eggs.
Gupta et al. 2004‐a, 2004‐b, and 2007, United Kingdom ⁵⁵ , ⁵⁶ , ⁵⁷	All ages	Years 1991/92 Admissions rate for FA: All ages: 0.5% 0–14 age group: 1.6% 15–44 age group: 0.5% 45+ age group: 0.0%	Years 2000/01 Admissions rate for FA: All ages: 2.9% 0–14 age group: 11.8 15–44 age group: 1.1% 45+ age group 0.5%	Years 2003/04 Admissions rate for FA: All ages: 2.6% 0–14 age group: 10.7% 15–44 age group: 9.0% 45+ age group: 0.6%	The increasing trends of hospital admissions for FA between the study years were statistically significant. These admission data do not include period accident and emergency departments for observation and are therefore likely to underestimate the actual incidence or prevalence.
Järvenpää et al. 2014, Finland ⁶⁵	Children 6–7 years old	Year 2009 Point prevalence self‐reported FA to: ‐ basic foods: 2.7% (1.9–3.5) ‐ cow's milk allergy: 1.5% (0.9–2.1) ‐ eggs: 1.1% (0.6–1.6) ‐ grains: 1% (0.5–1.5) ‐ fruit and vegetables: 5.8% (4.7–7.0) ‐ nuts: 3.1% (2.2–4.0) ‐ legumes: 0.7% ‐ spices: 0.6% ‐ fish: 0.8% (0.4–1.3)	Year 2013 Point prevalence self‐reported FA to: ‐ basic foods: 2.5% (1.9–3.4) ‐ cow's milk: 1.3% (0.9–2.0) ‐ eggs: 1.5% (1.0–2.2) ‐ grains: 1% (0.6–1.6) ‐ fruit and vegetables: 3.2% (2.5–4.2) ‐ nuts: 1.8% (1.3–2.6) ‐ legumes: 0.9% (0.5–1.4) ‐ spices: 0.5% (0.3–1.0) ‐ fish: 0.7% (0.4–1.3)	Children attending the first year of elementary school at 29 different schools in the Tampere (Finland) district were screened for the study. The objective was to assess the prevalence of self‐reported FA in the Tampere district. Basic foods according to the authors’ definition include milk, eggs, and grains. Point prevalence for the following specific foods was also measured: cow milk, eggs, grain, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and fish.
Kotz et al. 2011, United Kingdom ⁷⁶	All ages	Lifetime prevalence physician diagnosed peanut allergy per 1000 patients:	All estimates were age‐ and sex‐standardized. During the study period, while the lifetime prevalence of peanut allergy doubled, the incidence rate of peanut allergy remained fairly stable. Sex‐specific, age‐specific, and SES‐specific estimates are also reported in the table. Only data regarding the prevalence trends of peanut allergy were reported by the authors.
Year 2001: 0.24% (0.22–0.26)	Year 2002: 0.32% (0.30–0.34)	Year 2003: 0.39% (0.37–0.42)	Year 2004: 0.45% (0.43–0.48)	Year 2005: 0.51% (0.49–0.54)
Incidence rate of physician diagnosed peanut allergy per 1000 person‐years:
Year 2001: 0.06% (0.05–0.07)	Year 2002: 0.08% (0.07–0.09)	Year 2003: 0.08% (0.07–0.09)	Year 2004: 0.08% (0.07–0.09)	Year 2005: 0.08% (0.07–0.09)
Venkataraman et al. 2017, ¹³⁶ Venter et al. 2010, ¹³⁷ Venter et al. 2008, ¹³⁸ Venter et al. 2016, ¹⁴¹ United Kingdom	Children 0–18 years old	Point prevalence of self‐reported FA, SPT positive FA, and clinical history or OFC positive FA at 1 year	The data presented come from three different birth cohorts of children, which were born in the Isle of Wight 1989–1990, 1994–1996, and 2001–2002. All three cohorts have been reviewed at 3–4 years after birth in 1993, 1998–2000, and 2004–2005, respectively. Two of the cohorts have been followed up for more years: the Isle of Wight‐IOW birth cohort for subjects born in 1989–1990, and The Food Allergy and Intolerance Research‐FAIR birth cohort for subjects born in 2001–2002, respectively. Overall, the prevalence of self‐reported FA has slightly decreased, while the prevalence of peanut allergy sensitization seems increased in children living in the Isle of Wight.
Year 1990–1991 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: 8.5% (7.1–10.2) SPT positive FA ‐ peanut allergy: 0.3%	Year 1995–1997 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: N/A SPT positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: N/A	Year 2002–2003 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: 7.2% (5.7–9.1) SPT positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: 0.4% (0.1–1.2)
Point prevalence of self‐reported FA and of SPT positive FA at 2 years
Year 1991–1992 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: 9.2% (7.6–10.9) SPT positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: 1.0%	Year 1996–1998 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: N/A SPT positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: N/A	Year 2003–2004 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: 8.4% (6.7–10.4) SPT positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: 2.0% (1.2–3.4)
Point prevalence of self‐reported FA, SPT positive FA, and of clinical history or FC positive FA at 3–4 years
Year 1993–1994 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: 9.1% (7.6–10.9) SPT positive FA: ‐ any FA 3.2% (2.2–4.5) ‐ peanut allergy: 1.3% (0.6–1.8) Clinical history or OFC positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: 0.5% (0.2–1.1)	Year 1998–2000 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: N/A SPT positive FA: ‐ any FA: N/A ‐ peanut allergy: 3.3% (2.4–4.4) Clinical history or OFC positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: 1.4% (0.9–2.2)	Year 2004–2005 Self‐reported FA: ‐ any FA: 8.3% (6.7–10.3) SPT positive FA: ‐ any FA: 4.5% (3.2–6.4) ‐ peanut allergy: 2.0% (1.2–3.4) Clinical history or OFC positive FA: ‐ peanut allergy: 1.2% (0.7–2.2)
Point prevalence of SPT positive FA at 10 years
Year 1999–2000 ‐ any FA: 4.4% (3.4–5.9) ‐ peanut allergy: 1.84%	Year 2004–2006 N/A	Year 2011–2012 ‐ any FA: 2.7% (1.7–4.4) ‐ peanut allergy: 2.4% (1.4–4.0)

Reference, country

Age(s) of subjects

Frequency of FA

Comments

Diwaker et al. 2017, United Kingdom ²⁹

Children 0–17 years old

Year 2000

Point prevalence of physician diagnosed FA:

‐ any FA: 0.6%

‐ eggs: 0.2%

‐ nuts: 0.1%

Year 2015

Point prevalence of physician diagnosed FA:

‐ any FA: 1.3%

‐ eggs: 0.3%

‐ nuts: 0.5%

Data were extracted from a conference abstract. The abstract reports on a population study based on routine primary care data. The objective was to "estimate the trends in prevalence of General Practitioner (GP) diagnosed allergies between 2000 and 2015 among United Kingdom (UK) children (0–17 years)”. To the scope, a primary care database representing 6% of the entire UK population was screened.

Point prevalence of physician‐diagnosed FA was also measured for the following specific foods: nuts and eggs.

Gupta et al. 2004‐a, 2004‐b, and 2007, United Kingdom ⁵⁵ , ⁵⁶ , ⁵⁷

All ages

Years 1991/92

Admissions rate for FA:

All ages:

0.5%

0–14 age group:

1.6%

15–44 age group:

0.5%

45+ age group:

0.0%

Years 2000/01

Admissions rate for FA:

All ages:

2.9%

0–14 age group: 11.8

15–44 age group:

1.1%

45+ age group

0.5%

Years 2003/04

Admissions rate for FA:

All ages:

2.6%

0–14 age group:

10.7%

15–44 age group:

9.0%

45+ age group:

0.6%

The increasing trends of hospital admissions for FA between the study years were statistically significant. These admission data do not include period accident and emergency departments for observation and are therefore likely to underestimate the actual incidence or prevalence.

Järvenpää et al. 2014, Finland ⁶⁵

Children 6–7 years old

Year 2009

Point prevalence self‐reported FA to:

‐ basic foods: 2.7% (1.9–3.5)

‐ cow's milk allergy: 1.5% (0.9–2.1)

‐ eggs: 1.1% (0.6–1.6)

‐ grains: 1% (0.5–1.5)

‐ fruit and vegetables: 5.8% (4.7–7.0)

‐ nuts: 3.1% (2.2–4.0)

‐ legumes: 0.7%

‐ spices: 0.6%

‐ fish: 0.8% (0.4–1.3)

Year 2013

Point prevalence self‐reported FA to:

‐ basic foods: 2.5% (1.9–3.4)

‐ cow's milk: 1.3% (0.9–2.0)

‐ eggs: 1.5% (1.0–2.2)

‐ grains: 1% (0.6–1.6)

‐ fruit and vegetables: 3.2% (2.5–4.2)

‐ nuts: 1.8% (1.3–2.6)

‐ legumes: 0.9% (0.5–1.4)

‐ spices: 0.5% (0.3–1.0)

‐ fish: 0.7% (0.4–1.3)

Children attending the first year of elementary school at 29 different schools in the Tampere (Finland) district were screened for the study. The objective was to assess the prevalence of self‐reported FA in the Tampere district.

Basic foods according to the authors’ definition include milk, eggs, and grains. Point prevalence for the following specific foods was also measured: cow milk, eggs, grain, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and fish.

Kotz et al. 2011,

United Kingdom ⁷⁶

All ages

Lifetime prevalence physician diagnosed peanut allergy per 1000 patients:

All estimates were age‐ and sex‐standardized. During the study period, while the lifetime prevalence of peanut allergy doubled, the incidence rate of peanut allergy remained fairly stable. Sex‐specific, age‐specific, and SES‐specific estimates are also reported in the table.

Only data regarding the prevalence trends of peanut allergy were reported by the authors.

Year 2001:

0.24%

(0.22–0.26)

Year 2002:

0.32%

(0.30–0.34)

Year 2003:

0.39%

(0.37–0.42)

Year 2004:

0.45%

(0.43–0.48)

Year 2005:

0.51%

(0.49–0.54)

Incidence rate of physician diagnosed peanut allergy per 1000 person‐years:

Year 2001:

0.06%

(0.05–0.07)

Year 2002:

0.08%

(0.07–0.09)

Year 2003:

0.08%

(0.07–0.09)

Year 2004:

0.08%

(0.07–0.09)

Year 2005:

0.08%

(0.07–0.09)

Venkataraman et al. 2017, ¹³⁶ Venter et al. 2010, ¹³⁷ Venter et al. 2008, ¹³⁸ Venter et al. 2016, ¹⁴¹ United Kingdom

Children 0–18 years old

Point prevalence of self‐reported FA, SPT positive FA, and clinical history or OFC positive FA at 1 year

The data presented come from three different birth cohorts of children, which were born in the Isle of Wight 1989–1990, 1994–1996, and 2001–2002. All three cohorts have been reviewed at 3–4 years after birth in 1993, 1998–2000, and 2004–2005, respectively. Two of the cohorts have been followed up for more years: the Isle of Wight‐IOW birth cohort for subjects born in 1989–1990, and The Food Allergy and Intolerance Research‐FAIR birth cohort for subjects born in 2001–2002, respectively.

Overall, the prevalence of self‐reported FA has slightly decreased, while the prevalence of peanut allergy sensitization seems increased in children living in the Isle of Wight.

Year 1990–1991

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: 8.5% (7.1–10.2)

SPT positive FA

‐ peanut allergy: 0.3%

Year 1995–1997

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: N/A

SPT positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy: N/A

Year 2002–2003

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: 7.2% (5.7–9.1)

SPT positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy: 0.4% (0.1–1.2)

Point prevalence of self‐reported FA and of SPT positive FA at 2 years

Year 1991–1992

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: 9.2% (7.6–10.9)

SPT positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy: 1.0%

Year 1996–1998

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: N/A

SPT positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy: N/A

Year 2003–2004

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: 8.4% (6.7–10.4)

SPT positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy: 2.0% (1.2–3.4)

Point prevalence of self‐reported FA, SPT positive FA, and of clinical history or FC positive FA at 3–4 years

Year 1993–1994

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: 9.1% (7.6–10.9)

SPT positive FA:

‐ any FA 3.2% (2.2–4.5)

‐ peanut allergy: 1.3% (0.6–1.8)

Clinical history or OFC positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy: 0.5% (0.2–1.1)

Year 1998–2000

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: N/A

SPT positive FA:

‐ any FA: N/A

‐ peanut allergy: 3.3% (2.4–4.4)

Clinical history or OFC positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy:

1.4% (0.9–2.2)

Year 2004–2005

Self‐reported FA:

‐ any FA: 8.3% (6.7–10.3)

SPT positive FA:

‐ any FA: 4.5% (3.2–6.4)

‐ peanut allergy: 2.0% (1.2–3.4)

Clinical history or OFC positive FA:

‐ peanut allergy:

1.2% (0.7–2.2)

Point prevalence of SPT positive FA at 10 years

Year 1999–2000

‐ any FA: 4.4% (3.4–5.9)

‐ peanut allergy: 1.84%

Year 2004–2006

N/A

Year 2011–2012 ‐ any FA: 2.7% (1.7–4.4)

‐ peanut allergy: 2.4% (1.4–4.0)

Note: Diwakar et al. was extracted from a conference abstract.

Abbreviations: FA, food allergy; OFC, oral/open food challenge; SPT, skin prick test for sensitization to specific food allergens.