Britons May Be Avoiding Wheat Unnecessarily

Research shows that up to 20 per cent of adults think they or their children suffer from a food allergy or food intolerance. However evidence suggests that the real prevalence of food allergy and intolerance in adults is less than 2 per cent and around 5% in children. It means that millions of people could be avoiding certain foods unnecessarily and without proper medical advice.
The report by the University of Portsmouth and commissioned by the Flour Advisory Bureau, also reveals that over half of the British population believes that wheat allergy is a common illness and in 2009 wheat was the most commonly self reported food allergen.01-02-2010

Dr Carina Venter, who is also the Senior Allergy Dietician at The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre on the Isle of Wight.
She said: "Our concern is that people are self-diagnosing allergies which is very unreliable and could even mask a different illness which would remain undiagnosed and untreated.
"If not properly managed avoiding wheat can have an impact on nutritional intake and quality of life, and should not be undertaken lightly or without a confirmed diagnosis. If people have symptoms which they think may be caused by a food allergy or intolerance, they should seek help from a qualified medical professional. Wheat should not be excluded without appropriate advice on how to maintain a healthy diet."
The report highlights that wheat is present in a wide variety of foods so avoiding it can be difficult and affect the social life of the individual concerned. Parents who believe their child has a food allergy may feel anxious about their health and go to great lengths to ensure their child avoids certain foods.
"Children are more prone to nutritional problems when foods are excluded from the diet so it's even more critical that they receive a correct diagnosis," said Dr Venter.

To find out more about food allergy and intoerlance in children go to: http://tinyurl.com/G4Lallergy