It’s Food Allergy Awareness Week!

This week, May 10-16, marks Food Allergy Awareness Week, a time to focus public awareness on food allergy, a condition that affects an estimated 5 percent of children and 4 percent of adults in the United States. NIAID reaffirms its commitment to help reduce the burden of food allergy, and President Barack Obama shares a message with all those affected by the condition.

Food Allergy Awareness Week 2015

This week, May 10-16, marks Food Allergy Awareness Week, a time to focus public awareness on food allergy, a condition that affects an estimated 5 percent of children and 4 percent of adults in the United States. Allergic reactions to food can range from a few itchy hives to anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Currently, the only way to prevent food-induced allergic reactions is by avoiding triggering foods.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the lead institute at the National Institutes of Health for food allergy research, is committed to supporting efforts to help better understand, prevent, and manage food allergies. NIAID efforts span the spectrum from basic research in allergy and immunology to clinical trials testing new strategies to prevent and treat food allergy. Earlier this year, NIAID-supported researchers from the Immune Tolerance Network reported results from a landmark clinical trial showing that peanut consumption in infancy can prevent the development of peanut allergy.

This week, as NIAID reaffirms its commitment to help reduce the burden of food allergy, President Barack Obama shares a Presidential Message (PDF) with everyone affected by this condition—those living with food allergy and their families, friends, and communities.

In observance of Food Allergy Awareness Week, NIAID encourages the public to learn more about this disorder:

Watch an NIAID video that explains food allergy and offers tips on how to manage the condition (runtime 2.5 minutes)
Browse information about food allergy on the NIAID website, and learn about guidelines for the diagnosis and management of food allergy developed by an NIAID-sponsored expert panel
Read about food labeling regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Learn about guidelines to manage food allergies in schools from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention