ABSTRACT
According to some surveys, 20 to 25% of people in the U.S. are allergic to certain foods. Self-reported information based on changes in dietary habits to accommodate a food problem is likely to be mostly erroneous. Often, patients who say they have a food allergy avoid a food and never seek medical advice. Diagnosis of food allergies is overworked, poorly defined, and misused. There are many misconceptions about food allergies, such as understanding of the causes of food allergies and their symptoms. A minority of practitioners who have overemphasized the magnitude of the role of food allergies in human illness have greatly contributed to this misconception. The American Academy of Allergy and Immunology has sharply criticized their concepts and questioned their practices.
