Are food intolerances more common nowadays?

Food allergy & intolerance
Eléonore de Maurissens
Reading time: 3 minutes
Komen voedselintoleranties tegenwoordig vaker voor?

Nowadays, eating together with friends or family seems more difficult than ever! One person doesn't eat gluten, another avoids dairy products, someone else absolutely refuses to eat onions… Are food intolerances actually more common now?


A food intolerance is often mistakenly equated with a food allergy. Food intolerances are common, but they are not without consequences: they can have a negative impact on the quality of life of those who suffer from them.1

 

Food intolerance and food allergy: they are not the same

Physical reactions to certain foods are common, but most are the result of a food intolerance rather than a food allergy. Although some signs may be similar, a true food allergy acts on the immune system, meaning even small amounts of the offending food can trigger a whole range of reactions and symptoms that can be serious (anaphylactic shock, for example).2

A food intolerance, by contrast, mainly affects the digestive system and causes milder symptoms (fatigue, itching, skin rashes…). It is the result of a series of chemical reactions in the body; it is therefore not a reaction of the immune system.2

Up to 20% of the world's population is said to suffer from a food intolerance, while only 2 to 5% have an allergy1

More cases of food intolerance or simply more awareness?

Today, more and more people have allergies (due to environmental and genetic factors, for example), but the situation is less clear when it comes to food intolerances. According to a 2009 report, 20% of the population suffers from one or more food intolerances, which seemingly has not changed since 1994. According to a recent study, however, one in four people believe they suffer from a food intolerance.3,4

At the same time, there is greater awareness of food intolerance (which is often conflated with food allergies), especially thanks to the internet. Furthermore, there is a normalization of intolerance underway: nowadays it is generally possible to specify particular dietary choices, both in restaurants and at events (at work, parties, etc.). That is a difference from the past, when many people suffered in silence or simply chose not to eat.5

 

What to do if you have a food intolerance?

If you suffer from a food intolerance, you will experience increasingly more discomfort the more often you eat the offending food. To prevent this discomfort, it is best to keep the triggering foods off your plate. However, it is not always easy to eliminate foods that cause the intolerance from your meals, e.g., when you are eating out or traveling.

Fortunately, you can take preventive measures to enjoy food without stress and to prevent unpleasant reactions. For example, if you are lactose intolerant, you can take lactase enzyme tablets to help digest the milk sugar.2

 

Do you suffer from a food intolerance? What impact does it have on your daily life?
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Scientific references

  1. Zopf Y. et al.; The differential diagnosis of food intolerance. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2009 May;106(21):359-69; quiz 369-70; 4 p following 370. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2009.0359. Epub 2009 May 22. PMID: 19547751; PMCID: PMC2695393.
  2. Li J. T. C. Food allergy vs. food intolerance: What's the difference? Mayo Clinic, April 21, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/food-allergy/expert-answers/food-allergy/faq-20058538
  3. Lomer M.C. Review article: the aetiology, diagnosis, mechanisms and clinical evidence for food intolerance. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015 Feb;41(3):262-75. doi: 10.1111/apt.13041. Epub 2014 Dec 3. PMID: 25471897.
  4. Jansson-Knodell C., et al.; High prevalence of food intolerances among US internet users. Public Health Nutrition 2021, 24(3), 531-535. doi:10.1017/S1368980020003298
  5. Stressing the Importance of Food Allergies. FARE.

Product mentioned in this article

Lactose-OK Forte Instant | powder sticks

Do you have trouble digesting lactose? Lactose-OK Forte Instant contains lactase, an enzyme that improves lactose digestion in individuals who have difficulty digesting lactose. The convenient sticks are easy to take, even on the go.
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