The Prevalence of Questionnare Based Food Allergy in Adult Population of Eastern Blacksea Region of Turkey

Abstract

Objective: Food allergy (FA) is an important public health problem which affects children and adults, its prevelance is increasing with the change of dietary habits in recent years. FA is a life-threatening allergic reaction which can lead to anaphylaxis and is very difficult to treat. In our study, we wanted to contribute to the literature by investigating the prevalence of FA in the Eastern Black Sea Region based on a questionnaire. Methods: This study was planned as a cross-sectional web-based survey study. The questionnaire was prepared including 12 questions related with health problems that develop following food intake. Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey was chosen as the target group of the study population. The questionnaire was published in local online and printed media during three months and the participants were allowed to fill it out. Results: The study included 920 people (604 female, 316 male) who completed the questionnaire and 157 (17%) of the participants noted that they had food allergies. The most common allergen foods were spices (15%), tomatoes (10.9%), and cow's milk (7.5%). The most common symptoms were urticaria (63.5%), gastrointestinal symptoms (30.2%), rhinitis (15.1%), oral allergy syndrome (OAS) symptoms (11.3%). Young age (p= 0.004), presence of atopic disease or family history of atopy (p=0.001) were found to be risk factors for the development of food allergy. Conclusion: The prevalence of self-reported FA based on web-based survey in Eastern Black Sea residents is relatively high and specific to the region.