Nearly 6 million children in U.S. have food allergy

     LOS ANGELES, June 20 (Xinhua) -- About 8 percent of children, or nearly 6 million in the U.S., have a food allergy¹, a much higher rate than previously² estimated, a new study suggests.

    Not only is this estimate higher than some previous research has reported, allergic³ reactions are often severe and that many kids have more than one allergy, according to the study published online in Pediatrics on Monday.

    Of the children with confirmed (or probable) food allergies⁴, about 39 percent had had severe reactions in the past, and 30 percent had more than one allergy, the study found.

    In the current study, researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine surveyed parents of more than 38,000 children about whether their child had been diagnosed with a food allergy and had one or more of a number of symptoms, including anaphylaxis; swelling⁵ of the lips, eyes or face and skin rashes or hives.

    The study pinned down peanuts (25 percent of food-allergic children), milk (21 percent) and shellfish (17 percent) as the top three allergens.

    Severe reactions were most common among children with tree nut (more than 50 percent) and fin⁶ fish (more than 40 percent) allergies. The reactions were more likely among 14- to 17-year- olds compared with 0- to 2-year-olds, and more likely in children with multiple food allergies, the study found.

    "These findings provide critical epidemiologic information to guide strategies for the prevention of food-induced reactions and for the diagnosis⁷ and management of childhood food allergies," the study noted⁸.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 allergy   

n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症

参考例句：

• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
• The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 allergic   

adj.过敏的，变态的

参考例句：

• Alice is allergic to the fur of cats.艾丽斯对猫的皮毛过敏。
• Many people are allergic to airborne pollutants such as pollen.许多人对空气传播的污染物过敏，比如花粉。

4 allergies   

n.[医]过敏症；[口]厌恶，反感；（对食物、花粉、虫咬等的）过敏症( allergy的名词复数 )；变态反应，变应性

参考例句：

• Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms. 食物过敏会引发很多不同的症状。 来自辞典例句
• Let us, however, examine one of the most common allergies; hayfever. 现在让我们来看看最常见的变态反应的一种--枯草热。 来自辞典例句

5 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

6 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

7 diagnosis   

n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断

参考例句：

• His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。