Food Allergies Among Urban & Rural Children

A study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine suggests that urban children are more likely to develop food allergies than rural children, making them more likely to need antihistamines or epinephrine injections for adverse reactions. Both of these medications are available through a Canadian internet pharmacy. Previous research indicated that children who live in cities are more likely to have asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, compared to kids who live in rural areas. In order to investigate the relationship between food allergies and geography, the team of scientists reviewed medical data collected from more than 38,000 individuals aged 18 years and younger. Findings showed that 9.8 percent of children in urban areas had food allergies, compared to 6.2 percent of those in rural places. When it came to specific food triggers, 2.8 percent and 2.4 percent of kids in cities were allergic to peanuts and shellfish, respectively. The corresponding figures among rural children were 1.3 percent and 0.8 percent. However, the severity of food allergies did not differ according to geography. “The big question is – what in the environment is triggering them? A better understanding of environmental factors will help us with prevention efforts,” said researcher Ruchi Gupta, MD. Scientists speculate that this disparity may be due to pollutants in urban areas, or early exposure to beneficial bacteria among rural children. Source: