August 2024 | Rita Nocerino, RN, PhDs, Laura Carucci, MD, PhD, Serena Coppola, RD, PhDs, Gaetano Cecere, MD, Maria Micillo, MD, Tina Castaldo, MD, Stefania Russo, MD, Marialuisa Sandomenico, MD, Antonio Marino, MD, Renato Gualano, MD, Paola Ercolini, MD, Antonella Capasso, MD, Giorgio Bedogni, MD, PhD, and Roberto Berni Canani, MD, PhD
The EPIFA study, conducted by the Italian Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, aimed to investigate the epidemiology of pediatric food allergies (FA) in Campania, one of the most populous regions in Italy. The study, spanning from 2009 to 2021, involved family pediatricians who collected data on FA cases through Google Forms. A total of 752 FA patients were evaluated, with a progressive increase in FA incidence and prevalence observed over the study period. The relative increase was 34% for incidence and 113.6% for prevalence, with the highest increase (+120.8%) in the 0-3-year-old age group. Cow's milk, hen's egg, and nuts were the most common allergens. The study highlights the need for new and effective strategies to prevent and manage pediatric FA, emphasizing the importance of updated epidemiological data for public health policies.The EPIFA study, conducted by the Italian Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, aimed to investigate the epidemiology of pediatric food allergies (FA) in Campania, one of the most populous regions in Italy. The study, spanning from 2009 to 2021, involved family pediatricians who collected data on FA cases through Google Forms. A total of 752 FA patients were evaluated, with a progressive increase in FA incidence and prevalence observed over the study period. The relative increase was 34% for incidence and 113.6% for prevalence, with the highest increase (+120.8%) in the 0-3-year-old age group. Cow's milk, hen's egg, and nuts were the most common allergens. The study highlights the need for new and effective strategies to prevent and manage pediatric FA, emphasizing the importance of updated epidemiological data for public health policies.