Epidemiology of food allergy.

Food allergy (FA) is perceived as a common problem, especially during childhood. Accurate assessment of incidence and prevalence of FA has been difficult to establish, however, due to lack of universally accepted diagnostic criteria. Although many foods are reported to cause IgE-mediated FA, most studies focus on 4 common food groups: cow's milk, hen's egg, peanut/tree nuts, and fish/shellfish. There may be variation in the prevalence of FA in regions of the world and a likely increase in prevalence has been observed in recent decades. This cannot be stated with confidence, however, without the use of consistent methodology and diagnostic criteria.