How common are food allergies?

4-8, 2-4%: 4-8% of children in the USA are allergic to foods, and about 2-4% of adults. Allergic reactions to foods can be life threatening, so you need to be prepared to deal with a reaction at any time. About one hundred fifty people die of food allergic reactions in the USA every year.

A growing issue: Food allergy is a growing public health concern. As many as 15 million people have food allergies. An estimated 9 million, or 4%, of adults have food allergies. Nearly 6 million or 8% of children have food allergies with young children affected most.