Prevalence of Food Allergy and Common Food Allergen Among Saudi Adults in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of food allergy (FA) in the Makkah region has received little attention, so we conducted this study to estimate the prevalence of FA in adults. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted online among 531 participants with or without a prior diagnosis of FA. The collected data related to socio-demographics (age and gender), whether the participant had been medically diagnosed with any food allergens, and assessing the prevalence of different food allergens. Results: Only 93 (17.5%) of the 531 people screened positive for FA; females (65.6%) predominated, with 37.6% aged 40–59. The type of food for allergy was: eggs (47%), seafood (44%), fruits (40%), nuts and legumes (37%), milk and dairy products (25%), vegetables (17%), sesame (11%), wheat (9%), soy (8%), 2% to chili peppers, and only 1% honey and chocolate. Conclusion: Both genders were allergic to eggs, followed by seafood, fruits, nuts, and legumes, and milk and dairy products, respectively.