In this study, the elementary school children's food allergy status and perception of their parents on allergenic food labeling system was examined. The survey was conducted on 404 parents of Gyeongbuk area who have elementary school children.
The f...
In this study, the elementary school children's food allergy status and perception of their parents on allergenic food labeling system was examined. The survey was conducted on 404 parents of Gyeongbuk area who have elementary school children.
The food allergy experience ratio of elementary school children was 18.1% (73 students), 51.1% (38 students) showed a family history and in particular, maternal family history tended to be higher. The main symptom was related to skin, the corresponding allergenic foods appeared in the order of mackerel, eggs, milk, wheat, crab and tomatoes among the current labeling 12 items and 43.8% of students responded that certain foods were restricted.
Regarding knowledge score of food allergy, the experienced group in children's food allergy was higher than the non-experienced group (p <0.05), women than men (p <0.005), people with higher income level than lower income level, and college graduates than high school graduates(p<0.001). The survey also showed that when purchasing packaged foods the experienced group in children's food allergy checked more food ingredients and allergy notation details(p <0.001). The food allergy education experience rate of students and their parents was 18.6%, 67.6% had a affirmative answer about whether they hoped to participate in nutrition consultation and the most frequently cited consultant was nutrition teacher(46.9%). The experienced group in food allergy education showed higher awareness on negative aspects of allergy symptoms including the inconvenience of living, etc.(p <0.001) There was a positive correlation among the food allergy knowledge level and the necessity of understanding students with allergic symptoms, the awareness about negative aspects of allergy symptoms, check of food ingredients at the time of purchase and the necessity of food allergy education(p <0.01).
Because the only prevention method for food allergy is the restriction of allergenic food, the institutional device to expand the food labeling to unpackaged food as well as packaged food and to make people trust the food labeling should be prepared. The school should provide a more aggressively restricted diet or alternative diet and strive to help to improve students' emotion and health by increasing the understanding of food allergy sufferers and to procure the security of school lunch through education or consultation of all concerned parties of school as well as students with allergy.