Allergy Statistics

The Allergy Epidemic Affects 1 out of 4 Americans

Over 50 million Americans suffer from allergies.
Approximately 55 percent of all U.S. citizens test positive to one or more allergens.
Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.
Allergies cost the health care system about $18 billion annually.
Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, is the reason for over 15 million doctor office visits each year.
In the past year, 18.4 million adults and 6.7 children were diagnosed with hay fever.
Chronic sinusitis is the most commonly reported chronic disease, affecting about 35 million Americans.
People who suffer from sinusitis miss about 4 days of work each year because of their illness.
Food allergy occurs in approximately 6 to 8 percent of children under the age of 4 and approximately 4 percent of adults.
About 150 Americans, mostly children, die from food-induced anaphylaxis each year.
Peanut allergies and tree nut allergies cause the most extreme food allergy symptoms.
The number of children with potentially fatal peanut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2002.
Urticaria (hives) is common and affects 10 to 20 percent of the population at some time in their lives.
Stinging Insect allergy is common, affecting about 3 percent of Americans and 1 percent of children.
Approximately 100 Americans die annually from anaphylaxis induced by stinging insects.
Penicillin is the most common culprit in drug allergy. Anaphylactic reactions to penicillin cause approximately 400 deaths a year.
Allergic dermatitis (itchy rash) is the most common skin condition in children younger than 11 years of age. The percentage of children diagnosed with it has increased from 3% in the 1960s to 10% in the 1990s.
Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common skin diseases, particularly in infants and children. The estimated prevalence in the United States is 9%. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis appears to be increasing.
Approximately 220 cases of anaphylaxis and 3 deaths per year are due to latex allergy.
If one parent has allergic disease, the estimated risk of a child to develop allergies is 48%; the child’s estimated risk grows to 70% if both parents have a history of allergies.