FARE Releases National Indicator Report on Food Allergy

McLEAN, Va.—Feb. 27, 2026—FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) today announced the release of the “National Indicator Report on Food Allergy,” a comprehensive assessment of the state of food allergy in the U.S., designed to raise public awareness of the disease’s scope, severity and growing public health impact. The project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Food Allergy AWARE initiative and is being released during the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting in Philadelphia held from Feb. 27-March 2. 

"Food allergy affects millions of Americans, yet it continues to be widely underestimated as a serious public health issue,” said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of FARE. “This report establishes a current baseline for food allergy, giving the public a fuller understanding of the scope and impact of this disease. It also provides clinicians, researchers and policymakers with the scientific grounding needed to drive investment and improve care for the more than 33 million people in the U.S. living with food allergy.”

The report details the prevalence, economic burden, workforce shortages and treatment gaps shaping the food allergy landscape. Key highlights from the report include: 

• Food allergy is a serious disease of the immune system that affects more than 33 million people in the United States—roughly 1 in 10 adults and 1 in 13 children.
• Among the more than 27 million U.S. adults with food allergy, nearly one half developed at least one food allergy during adulthood, and 21 percent say that all of their food allergies began after age 18.
• A recent study estimated the societal costs of food allergy in the U.S. at $370.8 billion, with an annual cost per patient of about $22,000.  
• There are only about 5,200 practicing allergists in the entire United States. That’s roughly 1.6 allergists per 100,000 people.   
• Despite its proven safety and effectiveness, research shows that epinephrine is often under-carried and underused. In a 2015-2016 cross-sectional survey of individuals with convincing food allergy, only 24 percent of adults and 40.7 percent of children reported having a current epinephrine prescription. 

Alongside the full report, FARE is also releasing a two-page media reference guide designed to give journalists a quick, accurate reference for covering food allergy. The guide distills key facts and context from the report into an accessible format for reporters across beats. 

This indicator report was led by Christopher Warren, PhD, with extensive input and approval from members of the Food Allergy AWARE Advisory Council (FAAAC). The full National Indicator Report on Food Allergy is available here. The Quick Reference Guide for Food Allergy is available for download here.