A new report focuses on food allergies as a public health concern, calling for more resources and education.
The 18-month study from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine examines public health policies and makes recommendations for more research and education.
IUPUI Communication professor Jennifer Bute serves on a national food allergy board and says the report is encouraging.
"The report explicitly says that this is a chronic health condition that has been ignored for far too long," Bute says.
The report touches on the need for better information about the cause and prevalence, improved diagnostic tools, prevention and treatment approaches.
The report also finds a need for more education across the board, from first responders to the classroom. Bute, who also has a young son with life-threatening allergies, says this also includes the food industry.
"That’s a struggle our family faces and it’s also a large source of confusion for consumers and families with food allergies to figure out what products are safe," Bute says.
An estimated 8 percent of children in the U.S. have food allergies.
