Fast Food, Junk Food and Why Kids Have Allergies
by Doug Pucci
It’s no secret that more kids have allergies and asthma today. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology describes the increase in children’s allergies over the past 30 years as “explosive”, and many researchers have classified allergies as a “growing epidemic” among kids. Likewise, a report published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that children’s asthma rates began increasing in 1960, and by 1990, kids diagnosed with asthma had reached “epidemic numbers”.
Estimates are that approximately 5.6 million American kids—one in every 13—under the age of 18 have allergies, according to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). And it’s not just kids: in total, more than 50 million Americans (some sources quote far higher numbers) and more than 235 million people worldwide suffer from diagnosed allergies.
The NIH report states that the dramatic increase in kids with asthma and various forms of allergic conditions goes hand-in-hand with lifestyle changes that have swept much of the world; specifically, children spending more time indoors, which has led to decreased physical activity, prolonged periods of shallow breathing, and more food and allergen sensitivities. Other studies attribute the sharp increase in allergies and asthma (estimated to be 40 to 50 percent over the past 50 years) to the increase in fast food, processed food and overall junk food consumption, or conversely, to the lack of exposure to real, whole foods.
The connection between these junk foods and increased cases of asthma and allergies was reported in the journal Thorax after a huge study of more than 400,000 children in 51 countries found, “Fast food consumption may be contributing to the increasing prevalence of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in adolescents and children.” The study concluded that teens eating the most fast food had a 39 percent higher risk of developing severe asthma, and the risk for younger kids in the same dietary category was 27 percent higher. In addition, the study showed that kids that ate fast food at least three times a week were more likely to have runny noses, eczema and asthma.
Children in the same study that ate higher amounts of fruit were 11 to 14 percent less likely to experience asthmatic symptoms. It’s interesting to note that these children only consumed three or more servings of fruit in a week, which is far below the recommended two to three servings per day.
The results of a separate study conducted by researchers at the University of Naples, in Italy, showed that high levels of advanced glycation end products (AGE) are abundant in all junk foods, from fast foods to processed foods. AGEs are known to increase the risk of both allergies and asthma, as well as diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other cognitive disorders, cancer, liver/renal dysfunction, reproductive disorders and many more.
This effect can even be seen in developing countries as they move away from traditional diets of locally grown whole foods and adopt more Westernized diets. New studies are also showing that processed and fast foods negatively impact gut bacteria, making both children and adults more prone to allergies and asthma. Researchers are now focusing on the impact of unhealthy junk food ingredients like sodium, sugars, trans-fatty acids, preservatives, carbs and linoleic acids (which can impact the immune system).
An unfortunate development occurs when a patient develops allergy symptoms. The standard protocol is usually an over-the-counter or prescription medication, which may provide relief, but doesn’t identify the root cause as to why the histamine response is so reactive. When a specific food allergy is identified, the patient is told to avoid that food, which is, of course, the right first step. However, it’s only a first step, not a final solution.
A deep dive into the reason why a patient is exhibiting allergic reactions to a particular food or food group may not be offered by most medical doctors. Diet and lifestyle should be examined as part of a holistic effort, coupled with results from comprehensive lab tests. A functional medicine doctor can help put the pieces together and create a path to minimize, manage or even eliminate the problem the while improving overall immune health and histamine response.
Dr. Doug Pucci, DC, FAAIM, adheres to a functional medicine approach with patients and believes in treating underlying, root causes of disease. He provides nutrition, advanced testing for hormones and gut microbiome, blood testing, epigenetics, and brain/body well-being. For more information, call 201-261-5430 or visit GetWell-Now.com.
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