African-American children may be more prone to food allergies

African-American children may be at higher risk for food allergies, a study finds, but race may not be the only factor.

Children from various ethnic backgrounds were tested for food allergies to determine if race or genetic ancestry were risk factors. Among 1,104 children (average age 2.7), 60.9% were black, 22.5% were Hispanic, 5.9% were white and 10.8% were other races.

Researchers discovered that black children were more apt to have food allergies, and that being of African ancestry was linked with a greater chance of having a peanut allergy. For every 10% increase in African ancestry there was a 25% rise in the risk of a peanut allergy.

The authors of the study, published recently in the journal Pediatrics, said that genetics may not tell the whole story about what causes food allergies. Cultural and environmental factors, such as disparities in diets, early feeding habits and vitamin D levels may have an effect as well.

The findings show the need, they added, for more research to understand the link between African American ancestry and food allergies, and what part genes and the environment play.