Half of Americans Test Positive for an Allergy

Format: Fact Sheet
Institute: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Did you know that more than 50 million Americans suffer from allergic diseases? A recent nationwide survey found that more than half of all U.S. citizens test positive to at least one allergen. The total estimated annual cost of allergies in the United States is $18 billion.

Allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic disease in the United States. Food allergies are estimated to occur in 6 to 8 percent of children aged 4 years or younger, and in 4 percent of adults. Approximately 150 Americans, usually adolescents and young adults, die annually from food-induced anaphylaxis. Drug allergies account for 5 percent to 10 percent of all adverse drug reactions. Insect allergies are also relatively common, with between 40 and 100 Americans reported to die annually from anaphylactic reaction to insects.

You can discover lots of interesting information about allergies in the newly updated NIAID fact sheet called Allergy Statistics.

Next Steps
To read the statistics fact sheet, and for a wealth of other resources about allergies and allergic reactions, visit www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/allergystat.htm.