Intolerance or Allergy?

The terms intolerance and allergy are often used and often incorrectly used interchangeably. They have different meanings for different people. A new way of classifying food intolerance and food allergy has been suggested.

How do you define allergy and intolerance?

Food Allergy

An undesirable immune reaction to a component in food e.g. a food protein, that would not affect a non-allergic individual.

Food Intolerance

A reaction to a food that does not involve an immune response.



The European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), an expert body on allergy has recently proposed that the term food hypersensitivity be used as an umbrella term to both allergic and non-allergic reactions.

Common foods responsible for food allergy



Food Allergy

The occurrence of food allergy and intolerance is at its highest in very young children.

It has been reported that the cumulative incidence of food allergy is 6-8% during the first 3 years of life but only 1-2% in adulthood².

Cows` Milk Protein Allergy

Occurs in infancy.

Incidence cited to be between 2-3%.

Uncommon after the age of 3 years.

References

Johansson SGO et al. Revised nomenclature for allergy for global use: report of the nomenclature review committee of the world allergy organisation, October 2003, JACI 2004: 113: 832-6

Wood RA, The Natural History of Food Allergy. Pediatrics, 2003; 111: 1631-1637.