Impact of Food Allergies on the Allergic Person's Travel Decision, Trip Organization and Stay Abroad

Abstract

This survey evaluated the impact of food allergy on the allergic person’s travel decision, trip organization and stay abroad. Hundred and two persons have participated. Results show that food allergy prevents 14% of respondents from travelling. Of the 81 travellers, 49% gets anxiety and 46% fear from food allergy. Difficulties related to food intake at restaurants were expressed by 67% of travellers. It is shown that allergic travellers adopt preventive behaviours and avoidance attitudes of allergenic products such as carrying their own food, reading labels, avoiding consumption of local foods, questioning about food composition. To prevent reaction after accidental ingestion, 69 travellers carry their emergency kit during travel. However, allergic accidents occurred to 30% of travellers. Food served in restaurants and homemade foods were the principal causes. This study shows the need to inform allergic patients about the regulation on the provision of food information to consumers and how to manage food allergy during travel, the need to establish a policy addressing training of restaurant staff about food allergy.