Could junk food be at the origin of the increase in allergies?

Burgers, chips, hot dogs, cold cuts – highly processed foods are a staple in Western diets, as well as growing in the Middle East. Now, a new study has shown that this could be one of the reasons why food allergies are on the rise.

A small study by Italian researchers found that children with food allergies had higher rates of advanced glycation products, or AGEs, than healthy children without allergies.

No differences were found in children with respiratory allergies, but the team found that children with high levels of adulthood ate more foods containing these substances.

What are the ages?

These substances are naturally present in the body, but are present in large quantities in processed foods, as well as in other food sources such as cooked meat. These are proteins or lipids that become "glycated" as a result of exposure to sugars and may play a role in aging. The presence of high levels of AGE in the body, which can result from the consumption of foods rich in AGE, has already been badociated with the development of degenerative diseases, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and disease. d & # 39; Alzheimer's.

The increase of food allergies

Studies have long shown that food allergies in Western countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, are on the rise. For example, data published by NHS Digital show that incidents of anaphylactic shock in England due to adverse reactions to food have increased steadily between 2011 and 2017, according to reports. The Guardian.

However, it seems that the problem is not limited to the Western world. The National recently reported that food allergies are also increasing in the UAE. It has been suggested that this is due to what doctors have called "the over-hygienic environment". Sesame seeds are becoming one of the most common triggers.

"Previously, we thought that food allergies only affected Western countries, but that does not apply anymore," said Dr. Hamad Alhameli, pediatric and adolescent medicine consultant and allergy consultant. Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.

Could it be junk food?

"[Children] consume a lot of snacks, a lot of hamburgers, a lot of fries, a lot of commercial food filled with AGE, "said Roberto Berni Canani of the University of Naples, who led the research presented at the the annual meeting. of the European Society of Gastroenterology, Pediatric Hepatology and Nutrition in Glasgow.

Children's diets were badessed through food diaries for seven days.

Canani said that children with food allergies ate between 20 and 40% more junk food in the week than children without allergies. They also had higher levels of AGE.

Research has suggested that EFAs may interact with immune cells and have a negative impact on the gut.

However, the study was too small to be conclusive, involving only 61 children; 23 with food allergies, 16 with respiratory allergies and 22 without allergies.

Canani also added that other factors would affect the rise in food allergies, including problems with the gut microbiome.