Probability of Food Allergy Causing Anaphylaxis
1.5% per year (among those with food allergies)
Conditional probability in US
About 1.5% of people with food allergies experience anaphylaxis each year, with roughly 200 deaths annually in the US.
Among the estimated 32 million Americans with food allergies (approximately 10% of the population), about 1.5% experience anaphylaxis (a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction) in any given year. Food allergy-related anaphylaxis results in approximately 200,000 emergency department visits and around 200 deaths annually in the US.
The most common triggers for food anaphylaxis are peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and sesame (added to the major allergen list in 2023). Peanuts and tree nuts account for the majority of fatal reactions. Risk factors for severe reactions include having asthma (especially poorly controlled), prior history of anaphylaxis, delayed epinephrine administration, and adolescent or young adult age (this group is most likely to take risks with food).
Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis and should be administered immediately at the first signs of a severe reaction. Studies show that delayed epinephrine administration significantly increases the risk of death. Everyone with a food allergy should carry at least two epinephrine auto-injectors at all times. Oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy (Palforzia) was FDA-approved in 2020, representing a new approach to desensitization.
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