YMCA Kids & Food: The Allergy Edition

Food allergies are a growing health concern that affects more people than you might think! According to a study released in 2013 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies among children have increased approximately 50% between 1997 and 2011.¹

FARE, an organization committed to Food Allergy Research & Education, reports that food allergies currently affects up to 15 MILLION people in the United States, including 1 in 13 children. That’s almost 2 kids in every classroom!

Chances are very high that your kids have a friend or classmate that may have some sort of food allergy. It's important to be understanding and be aware of program and school food restrictions. Some common allergies include seafood, milk, eggs, soy, and wheat with peanut and other nut allergies on the rise. To understand Food Allergies a little better, check out this video from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases:

So what does this mean for you as a Y parent?

The YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas makes every attempt to identify ingredients that may cause allergic reactions for those with food allergies. Every effort is made to educate our staff on the severity of food allergies. In particular, our Summer Day Camp programs have made significant stride to maintain a nut free (including tree nuts) environment, meaning that we do not serve or allow products containing or made with any type of nuts or nut byproducts, to be present in our program areas.

For more information on our programs, visit: http://bit.ly/YMCADallasSAS

For other resources on Food Allergies in Kids, visit Children’s Health Pediatric Food Allergy Center or Kid's Health!

¹Jackson K et al. Trends in Allergic Conditions among Children: United States, 1997-2011. National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief. 2013. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db10.htm