To learn more about the impact, we asked you to share your experiences managing food allergies through our My Life With Food Allergy online survey. Your responses gave us insight into the significant effects of food allergies.

In this three-part study, we surveyed these groups:

• Parents of children with food allergies
• Teens/young adults with food allergies
• Adults with food allergies
  
  

Our first report on this study – the My Life With Food Allergy: Parent Survey Report – gives a summary of the emotional, social and financial impact on the parent or caregiver of a child with food allergies.

Study Highlights

Our survey found three key impacts:

• Parents report a higher negative impact on emotional and mental health than do teens or adult patients with food allergy
• Food allergies greatly affect parents’ social lives
• Food allergies place significant strain on finances and time
  
  

The survey also found:

• 33% of parents did not feel comfortable asking for help when needed
• 44% say they or their spouse had to make a career choice (such as quitting or changing jobs) in order to care for their child
• 59% felt they could never let their guard down
• 74% said eating out was challenging
• 75% of parents said food allergies give them fear and anxiety
• 82% changed family traditions because of food allergy
• 82% of parents think about food allergies all the time
  
  

These findings are no surprise to parents of children with food allergies. But this report is important to help us raise awareness among people who aren’t aware of the impacts. And we need to discuss better ways to manage food allergy and support people affected by it. We hope this report will open up the conversation.

Read our My Life With Food Allergy: Parent Survey Report to learn more about how food allergies affect families’ quality of life. Help us raise awareness by sharing the report. And be a part of an ongoing discussion on our online support forums. 

Download the Summary Report

This research project of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America was made possible with support from DBV Technologies.