Time trends of infant food allergy in China: three cross-sectional
surveys in 1999,2009,and 2019
Abstract
Background: Some studies have found a slowly increasing or decreasing
trend of FA. However, the trends of FA in China are unknown. To
investigate the prevalence of and characteristic changes in FA in
children aged <2 years across 20 years. Methods: Data from
three cross-sectional surveys on FA epidemiology conducted in 1999,
2009, and 2019 were assessed, and the outcomes were compared. The skin
prick test was performed in all participants; open food challenge tests
were used for diagnosis confirmation. Results: The prevalences of FA in
2009 and 2019 were significantly higher than that in 1999 (3.5% in
1999, 7.7% in 2009, 11.1% in 2019, P<0.001). However, there
was no significant difference in prevalence between 2009 and 2019
(P=0.086). Cow’s milk protein allergy (5.7%) replaced egg allergy
(5.5%) as the most common food allergy in infants as per the results of
the 2019 survey. The incidence of skin symptoms did not differ
significantly over the study period (90.9% in 1999, 87.1% in 2009, and
57.9% in 2019, P>0.05), while the incidence of
gastrointestinal symptoms increased significantly over time (18.2% in
1999, 12.9% in 2009, and 43.9% in 2019, P<0.05). Conclusion:
The prevalence of FA in infants rapidly increased after the 1990s and
gradually stabilized after 2010. Cow’s milk protein has become the most
common food allergen among infants in Chongqing, China. The incidence of
gastrointestinal symptoms as a manifestation of FA has increased
significantly since 2010.