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The EuroPrevall surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children and adults: background and study methodology

  1. I. Kummeling1,
  2. E. N. C. Mills2,
  3. M. Clausen3,
  4. R. Dubakiene4,
  5. C. Farnãndez Pérez5,
  6. M. Fernández-Rivas6,
  7. A. C. Knulst7,
  8. M. L. Kowalski8,
  9. J. Lidholm9,
  10. T.-M. Le7,
  11. C. Metzler10,
  12. T. Mustakov11,
  13. T. Popov11,
  14. J. Potts1,
  15. R. Van Ree12,
  16. A. Sakellariou13,
  17. B. Töndury10,
  18. K. Tzannis13,
  19. P. Burney1

Article first published online: 6 APR 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.02046.x

Issue

Allergy

Allergy

Volume 64, Issue 10, pages 1493–1497, October 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Kummeling, I., Mills, E. N. C., Clausen, M., Dubakiene, R., Pérez, C. F., Fernández-Rivas, M., Knulst, A. C., Kowalski, M. L., Lidholm, J., Le, T.-M., Metzler, C., Mustakov, T., Popov, T., Potts, J., Van Ree, R., Sakellariou, A., Töndury, B., Tzannis, K. and Burney, P. (2009), The EuroPrevall surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children and adults: background and study methodology. Allergy, 64: 1493–1497. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.02046.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Respiratory Epidemiology and Public Health, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK

  2. 2

    Institute of Food Research, Materials Science, Norwich, UK

  3. 3

    Children’s Hospital Iceland, Landspitali, University Hospital, Reykjavík, Iceland

  4. 4

    Clinics of Chest, Allergology and Radiology, Medical faculty, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

  5. 5

    Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Preventive Medicine Department. Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain

  6. 6

    Allergy Department, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain

  7. 7

    University Medical Center Utrecht, Department of Dermatology/Allergology, Utrecht, the Netherlands

  8. 8

    Department of Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Poland

  9. 9

    Phadia AB, Uppsala, Sweden

  10. 10

    Allergy Unit, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Zürich, Switzerland

  11. 11

    Medical University, Clinical Centre of Allergology of the Alexandrovska Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria

  12. 12

    Department of Experimental Immunology and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

  13. 13

    Allergy Department, 2nd Pediatric Clinic, University of Athens, Athens, Greece

*I. Kummeling Respiratory Epidemiology & Public Health Group National Heart and Lung Institute Imperial College London Emmanuel Kaye Building, Manresa Road London SW3 6LR UK

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 15 SEP 2009
  2. Article first published online: 6 APR 2009
  3. Accepted for publication 5 February 2009

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Keywords:

  • adults;
  • children;
  • EuroPrevall;
  • food allergy;
  • methods

Background:  The epidemiological surveys in children and adults of the EU-funded multidisciplinary Integrated Project EuroPrevall, launched in June 2005, were designed to estimate the currently unknown prevalence of food allergy and exposure to known or suspected risk factors for food allergy across Europe. We describe the protocol for the epidemiological surveys in children and adults. This protocol provides specific instructions on the sampling strategy, the use of questionnaires, and collection of blood samples for immunological analyses.

Methods:  The surveys were performed as multi-centre, cross-sectional studies in general populations. Case–control studies were nested within these surveys. The studies in children aged 7–10 years and adults aged 20–54 years were undertaken in eight centres representing different social and climatic regions in Europe.

Results:  After a community-based survey collecting basic information on adverse reactions to foods, all those stating they had experienced such reactions, as well as of a random sample of those stating ‘no reactions’ to foods, completed a detailed questionnaire on potential risks and exposures. Also a blood sample was taken to allow serological analysis to establish patterns of food and aeroallergen sensitization. We also included a questionnaire to schools on their preparedness for dealing with food allergy amongst pupils. Subjects reporting adverse reactions to foods and sensitized to the same food(s) were called in for a full clinical evaluation that included a double blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC), following a protocol which is described in detail elsewhere.

Conclusions:  The outcome of these studies will help to improve our understanding of several important aspects of food allergies in the European Community, providing for more well-informed policies and effective measures of disease prevention, diagnosis and management.

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