Social Implications of Food Allergies
The next step within the research process that was identified through the analysis of food allergies and understanding what causes them, the symptoms and the effect they have on lives was to look at the social implications of a food allergy. For some the choice to remove an aspect of our diet is for personal reasons such as religion or to loose weight or for ethical reasons such as becoming a vegetarian or vegan. For those with food allergies it is not a choice and it has to become a way of life.
The first article I read based around the social impact of food allergies was entitled ‘The Social Consequences of Food Allergies” describes eating socially as, “one of the most basic social constants in human culture. We use food as our social glue. When a group shares food, we are saying we are a family, a team, a tribe. Many cultural traditions and religious rituals involve the sharing of food. We use it both as an offering and as a way of increasing our status within the group.”
From this when researching further into the social aspect it became apparent that although many are effected by their allergies it is children that find the social impact of their allergy that hardest. The increasing number of allergies within the younger generations has been clearly highlighted in research how food allergies have become more common within younger generations with around half of allergy suffers in the UK being children.
Looking at this impact on children dealing with their allergies also identified the strain it has on families raising a child with allergies
Kids With Food Allergies is an organisation that has been set up to look into child allergies and also offer support to the child as well as the parents affected by their child’s allergy. Research highlights many key facts that show how a child’s food allergy can have a social impact on their life.
· In 2003 a survey illustrated how the number of children with nut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2002
· 34% of parents who have a child with a food allergy said that their child allergy affected their school attendance
· 54% of teenagers say that they have triggered their food allergy purposely.
· Allergy side effects are not only physical it can often mean stress and isolation and in children the allergy can also affect their parents.
· For children with allergies activities such as birthday parties, sports games, school trips are difficult situations for both the child and parent due to the uncontrollable situation meaning many opt out of the activity.
· Out of 87 families that were questioned as part of an allergy survey in America half said they had adjusted their social life because of their child’s allergy
· 41% of parent who were questioned during the survey about their child’s allergy said that it contributed to their own stress.
· Dr Scott Sicherer a leading food allergy expert questioned a group of teenagers about their food allergy for them their main worry was not fitting in within social situations where parent replied their biggest fear of their child allergy was death.
· The work carried out during Sicherer’s study showed how teenagers want people around them to be more understanding of their allergies so that social situations would be easier.
· The emotional impact of food allergies depends on the development stage within a childs life
· By the age of 7 a child understands their food allergy
· Deaths due to food allergies are more common between the ages of 13 and 21.
· Children fear social isolation more than they fear death because of their allergy
From this research moved on to look at how eating habits not just allergies affect people and the social impact food has on lives. From looking how food allergies have an greater impact on life’s as first expected this is research that can be fed into the project and the design to create an environment that tackles this issue of social isolation because of food allergies.
From this research moved onto to look at the topic of social eating and how are eating habits are affected by social situations.
The first article I read based around the social impact of food allergies was entitled ‘The Social Consequences of Food Allergies” describes eating socially as, “one of the most basic social constants in human culture. We use food as our social glue. When a group shares food, we are saying we are a family, a team, a tribe. Many cultural traditions and religious rituals involve the sharing of food. We use it both as an offering and as a way of increasing our status within the group.”
From this when researching further into the social aspect it became apparent that although many are effected by their allergies it is children that find the social impact of their allergy that hardest. The increasing number of allergies within the younger generations has been clearly highlighted in research how food allergies have become more common within younger generations with around half of allergy suffers in the UK being children.
Looking at this impact on children dealing with their allergies also identified the strain it has on families raising a child with allergies
Kids With Food Allergies is an organisation that has been set up to look into child allergies and also offer support to the child as well as the parents affected by their child’s allergy. Research highlights many key facts that show how a child’s food allergy can have a social impact on their life.
· In 2003 a survey illustrated how the number of children with nut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2002
· 34% of parents who have a child with a food allergy said that their child allergy affected their school attendance
· 54% of teenagers say that they have triggered their food allergy purposely.
· Allergy side effects are not only physical it can often mean stress and isolation and in children the allergy can also affect their parents.
· For children with allergies activities such as birthday parties, sports games, school trips are difficult situations for both the child and parent due to the uncontrollable situation meaning many opt out of the activity.
· Out of 87 families that were questioned as part of an allergy survey in America half said they had adjusted their social life because of their child’s allergy
· 41% of parent who were questioned during the survey about their child’s allergy said that it contributed to their own stress.
· Dr Scott Sicherer a leading food allergy expert questioned a group of teenagers about their food allergy for them their main worry was not fitting in within social situations where parent replied their biggest fear of their child allergy was death.
· The work carried out during Sicherer’s study showed how teenagers want people around them to be more understanding of their allergies so that social situations would be easier.
· The emotional impact of food allergies depends on the development stage within a childs life
· By the age of 7 a child understands their food allergy
· Deaths due to food allergies are more common between the ages of 13 and 21.
· Children fear social isolation more than they fear death because of their allergy
From this research moved on to look at how eating habits not just allergies affect people and the social impact food has on lives. From looking how food allergies have an greater impact on life’s as first expected this is research that can be fed into the project and the design to create an environment that tackles this issue of social isolation because of food allergies.
From this research moved onto to look at the topic of social eating and how are eating habits are affected by social situations.