The Danger of Allergy Shaming
The Danger of ‘Allergy Shaming’
Could a teen’s desire to “fit in” with the crowd become life-threatening? Certainly, if they have a severe food allergy, researchers report. A recent study revealed that 54 percent of surveyed students with allergies said they purposefully ingested a potentially unsafe food, while 42 percent were willing to eat a food labeled that it “may contain” the problematic allergen. A 2009 study found that only 40 percent of college undergrads with food allergies avoided their known allergens. And sadly, a 2014 study of 251 families found that 32 percent of surveyed children said they’d been bullied because of their food allergy at least once.