Are Food Allergies Linked to Anxiety Risk?

Food allergies were associated with increased social and overall anxiety symptoms among children, according to a recent study.

The study included 80 children from 4 to 12 years of age (mean age 8.1 years) with and without food allergies and their caregivers recruited from urban pediatric outpatient clinics. Scores on the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC), MASC Humiliation Rejection, and MASC Social Anxiety were used to assess children and caregivers for anxiety and depression symptoms.
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Children with food allergies had higher scores on MASC, MASC Humiliation Rejection, and MASC Social Anxiety after researchers adjusted for asthma. However, depression symptoms were not associated with food allergies, and there was not a significant difference in anxiety or depression symptoms among caregivers.

“Food allergy appears to be associated with increased symptoms of social anxiety and higher levels of anxiety overall, but not depression, in ethnic minority children of lower socioeconomic status,” the researchers concluded. “Future studies should investigate potential pathways between food allergy and anxiety that may be unique to children in underserved populations, and develop interventions to reduce anxiety in children with food allergy.”

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Goodwin RD, Rodgin S, Goldman R, et al. Food allergy and anxiety and depression among ethnic minority children and their caregivers [published online June 5, 2017]. J Pediatr. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.04.055.