Teens with Food Allergies                

Is it fear of embarrassment, or wanting to fit in, or forgetfulness, or something else?  An alarming number of teenagers with food allergies admits to purposefully ingesting problem foods that can result in severe consequences.

Researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) used an anonymous Internet questionnaire to survey 174 food allergy patients between the ages of 13 and 21.

"For a teen or young adult with a food allergy, risk taking while eating certain foods can be deadly. In a previous study of fatal reactions, we found that 69 percent of those that died were between age 12 and 21," Anne Muñoz-Furlong, founder of FAAN and one of the authors of the study, said in a press release.

After reviewing the study data, the researchers also concluded that patients who take the most risks by eating problem foods and not carrying epinephrine are the ones who are likely to feel "different" because of their food allergies.

On the FAAN teen site:http://www.faanteen.org, teens talk about Food Allergies in the Real World, and share their experiences in coping with this problem.

Click here for more.

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