The Current State of Food Allergy of Preschool Childcare Facilities in Hanam.
10.5720/kjcn.2015.20.4.251
- Author:
Wookyoun CHO
1
;
Jinah KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Food and Nutrition, College of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Gyeonggi, Korea. wkcho@gachon.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
food allergy;
childcare facilities;
center for children's foodservice management
- MeSH:
Edible Grain;
Child;
Dairy Products;
Education;
Female;
Food Hypersensitivity*;
Fruit;
Gyeonggi-do*;
Humans;
Male;
Meat;
Milk;
Nuts;
Ovum;
Parents;
Shellfish;
Skin;
Soybeans
- From:Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
2015;20(4):251-258
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate how to manage food allergy of pre-school children, focusing on the current status of the food allergy in childcare facilities in Hanam which have less than 100 children. METHODS: Targeting 159 preschool childcare facilities, survey was carried out for a month in March, 2015. Recovery rate was 66.7%. 106 surveys out of 159 were available for analysis using SPSS statistical program version 19.0. RESULTS: Among 106 facilities, 58 (54.7%) reported that none of their children had a food allergy and 48 (45.3%) reported one more children had a food allergy. Total number of children having a food allergy was 71. Among them, the occurrences of food allergy in males were significantly more than that of the females (p < 0.001). Further, children under 2 years of age had significantly more food allergy than the other ages (p < 0.001). The allergic inducing foods were nuts (23.3%), egg (17.8%), milk and dairy products (16.4%), fish and shellfish (13.7%), instant foods (12.3%), fruits (8.2%), soybean (4.1%), meat (2.7%), and cereals (1.4%) in order, and 6 children out of 71 were allergic to more than 2 food items. The clinical symptoms of the food allergy were a skin reaction (87.9%) and an oropharyngeal & respiratory reaction (12.1%). Majority of childcare facilities (80.3%) didn't serve alternative foods for children with food allergy. Necessity for food allergy education was significantly higher in facilities with food allergy issues than without such issues. CONCLUSIONS: The Center for Children's Foodservice Management need to educate workers of childcare facilities and parents about managing food allergy and enforce a plan to provide alternative menu to children with food allergies.
