Allergies & Social Organization

Food Allergies and Quality of Life

Over 15 million Americans suffer from food allergies (“Facts and Statistics”).  Food allergies carry many social implications and can greatly affect quality of life.  The population that appears to be the most affected by these social implications are children.  It is estimated that 4 to 6 percent of children suffer from food allergies (“Food Allergies”).  From an early age these children are taught to avoid certain foods and may go through hospitalizations and frequent doctor visits.  They are taught that if they eat, or in some cases merely come into contact with, certain foods they will become very sick.  Children have to quickly learn how to advocate for themselves and navigate through their everyday lives without having an allergic reaction.  On top of all of these responsibilities children have to deal with the social implications of their allergies.

In the past few years there has been a growing trend of bullying in children with food allergies.  It is thought that approximately one third of children with food allergies ("Food Allergy Bullying - It's Not a Joke - Shareable Resources - Food Allergy Research & Education.") have experienced bullying.  This type of bullying can be life threatening.  Bullying can range from exclusion to threatening to make a child eat an allergy inducing food.  This can cause some children to fear for their lives when attending school, greatly affecting their quality of life.  Many schools have “peanut free” or allergy zones where children suffering from allergies are forced to sit.  This clear segregation of children with allergies automatically causes them to feel isolated and different than all of the other children.  Food is often the focal point of many social gatherings, such as birthday parties and holidays.  Many children suffering from food allergies may have anxiety surrounding these types of events, or in certain cases may not be able to attend them, further separating them from their peers.  Not only can children develop feelings of isolation and anxiety, they may also develop feelings of guilt surrounding the effects their allergies have on those around them.

            As a preventative measure for children with severe allergies, many schools ban certain foods, like peanut butter.  Recently, Edison Elementary School in Omaha, NE banned peanuts and tree nuts from their school because of one student’s severe airborne allergy.  This caused outrage among the parents of the school.  One parent spoke out saying “As a parent, I'm upset because my daughter loves (peanut butter and jelly) and is now looking at whether she wants to sacrifice that for the next however many years…” (Stone).  Many parents believe it is not fair that their child has to sacrifice certain foods, they believe that it is their right to eat what they want.  This type of reaction can cause feelings of guilt in the child suffering from allergies.

In an interview I conducted with a classmate suffering from nut allergies she explained that she often had feelings of guilt when the people around her were not able to eat certain foods (Jones*).  She spoke of a high school class trip where they had to ban peanut butter because of her allergy.  She overheard many students complaining that there wasn’t any peanut butter on the trip.  The students were also discussing who might be responsible for this. This made her feel guilty that she had an allergy which prompted the ban of peanut butter (Jones*).   I remember my elementary school sending out a notice that we were no longer able to bring baked goods to school to celebrate birthdays because of students with allergies in the school.  My friends and I were so upset that we couldn’t bring food in for special occasions.  We did not understand that this was a preventative measure that could ultimately save one of our classmate’s lives.  I can imagine that the students’ with allergies felt guilty for “causing” this new policy.
            Having food allergies greatly affects quality of life because food is so central to social interaction.  People suffering from food allergies always have to be on guard and cognizant of what they are putting into their bodies and what those around them are consuming.  Food allergies greatly impact the mental health and socialization of those suffering from them.

I am including an allergy frienldy recipe for chocolate cake that could be served at birthday parties to be inclusive to everyone!

Gluten, Egg & Dairy Free Chocolate Cake Recipe

 http://www.momables.com/gluten-egg-dairy-free-chocolate-cake-recipe/

Author: MOMables

Cuisine: Baking

Serves: 2 9-inch round cake pans/ 1 birthday cake.

Ingredients

Cake:

·         3 cups of gluten free all-purpose flour

·         1¾ cups of sugar

·         6 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder

·         2 teaspoons of baking soda

·         2 teaspoons of xantham gum

·         1 teaspoon of salt

·         2 cups of chocolate non-dairy milk

·         ½ cup of vegetable oil

·         2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

·         1 teaspoon of vanilla

Frosting:

·         ½ cup of non-dairy spread (or butter)

·         2 teaspoons of vanilla

·         ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

·         3 cups of powdered sugar

·         ½ cup of non-dairy creamer

Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Spray two 9" cake pans with cooking spray and set aside.

2.    In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients - flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, xantham gum, salt - and blend.

3.    In a medium size bowl, combine non-dairy milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar.

4.    Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir until smooth, scraping bottom and sides of the bowl.

5.    Pour into greased cake pans and place in oven.

6.    Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean after inserted into the center.

7.    Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes then move to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

8.    While the cakes are cooling make frosting. (I did mine in my food processor, but you can also make in a large bowl with an electric mixer.)

9.    Beat butter until light and fluffy.

10.  Add vanilla, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar.

11.  Add non-dairy creamer slowly while mixing until it's gone.

12.  If you feel the frosting is too thick, add more creamer 1 Tablespoon at time. If too runny, add more powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time.

13.  Ice cakes after they are completely cooled.

Original link to the recipe: http://www.momables.com/gluten-egg-dairy-free-chocolate-cake-recipe/ 

Also, here is Food Allergy and Research Education's (FARE) "It's Not a Joke Campaign" for food bullying:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0AfuBAsJKY&list=UUE_125yu_QxOM0PXPOKj93w

Sources:

"Facts and Statistics - Food Allergy Research & Education." Facts and Statistics - Food Allergy Research & Education. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.

"Food Allergies." ACAAI. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

"Food Allergy Bullying - It's Not a Joke - Shareable Resources - Food Allergy Research & Education." Food Allergy Bullying - It's Not a Joke - Shareable Resources - Food Allergy Research & Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

"Gluten Egg Dairy Free Chocolate Cake Recipe." MOMables Real Food Healthy School Lunch Meal Ideas Kids Will LOVE. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.

Jones*, Anna. "Social Implications of Food Allergies." Interview by Kelsea Moulton. 3 Nov. 2014.

Stone, Alexandra. "Parents Protest Peanut Butter Ban Food Policy Goes into Effect Oct. 8." KETV. 3 Oct. 2014. Web.

*Name has been changed

Socioeconomic Status and Food Allergies

In my previous blog post I explored the social implications of having food allergies.  I will now discuss how social factors can shape the development of food allergies.  One of the most prominent social factors that plays a role in the development of food allergies is socioeconomic status.  Several studies have been conducted looking at the correlation between socioeconomic status and the risk of developing food allergies (ACAAI).  Socioeconomic status greatly impacts the environment you live in, and it is thought that environment plays a role in food allergies.

Food allergies are often thought to be a “wealthy” or “upper class” problem.  Many people attribute this to the “trendiness” of food allergies, but there is some scientific evidence to prove otherwise.  The “hygiene hypothesis” (Okada et al.) suggests that increases in the prevalence of food allergies may be due to the environment children grow up in.  Many parents obsessively disinfect everything their child comes into contact with, creating an incredibly sterile environment.  This over sterilization may be contributing to the increase in food allergies.  Exposure to certain microbes and infectious agents is important in the development of the immune system (Okada et al.).  The sterile environment that many upper and middle class families create limits the exposure children have to these different infectious agents, meaning they may be at a higher risk of developing food allergies.  On the other hand, children of a lower socioeconomic status may be exposed to different infectious agents more frequently, thus possibly leading to stronger immune systems.

Another factor contributing to the disparity between the prevalence of food allergies between socioeconomic classes is access to health care.  Wealthier families are more likely to have greater access to medical care and allergy testing.  Therefore, allergies are more likely to be reported by families of a higher socioeconomic status.  Families that have access to medical care may also be more educated on the topic of food allergies and may be told by physicians not to expose their children to certain foods until a specific age.  Families that are of a lower socioeconomic status who do not have this input from physicians are more likely to expose their children to possible allergens earlier, which in many cases, can be a protective measure against developing food allergies (Ben-Shoshan et al.).

Although food allergies seem to be more common within upper class families, people of lower socioeconomic status suffering from allergies do not have access to the same resources as wealthier families.  It is important that people suffering from food allergies have an epinephrine or "epi-pen" with them at all times ("Epinephrine Auto-injectors - Food Allergy Research & Education.").  In order to receive an epi-pen you need to go to the doctor and get a prescription.  There are also several types of epi-pens and physicians should be consulted to ensure you choose the right one and are trained properly on how to administer it ("Epinephrine Auto-injectors - Food Allergy Research & Education.").  If a family does not have access to a physician they most likely will not be able to get the proper treatment or may not receive the same level of education about treatments.  Not only do food allergies affect how society perceives you, but social systems can also affect how a food allergy is developed.  Social systems can also dictate how you are able to treat food allergies and prevent allergic reactions. 

Sources:

American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). "Socioeconomic status linked to childhood peanut allergy." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 9 November 2012.

Ben-Shoshan, M., D. W. Harrington, L. Soller, J. Fragapane, L. Joseph, Y. St. Pierre, S. B. Godefroy, S. J. Elliott, and A. E. Clarke. "Demographic Predictors of Peanut, Tree Nut, Fish, Shellfish, and Sesame Allergy in Canada." Journal of Allergy 2012 (2012): 1-6. Web.

"Epinephrine Auto-injectors - Food Allergy Research & Education." Epinephrine Auto-injectors - Food Allergy Research & Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.

Okada, H., C. Kuhn, H. Feillet, and J.-F. Bach. "The ‘hygiene Hypothesis’ for Autoimmune and Allergic Diseases: An Update." Clinical & Experimental Immunology 160.1 (2010): 1-9. Web.

Food Allergies in the Media

Looking at my previous posts it is clear that society plays a large role in how food allergies are experienced and shaped, I will now discuss how society can affect how food allergies are perceived.  The first time I was exposed to an allergic reaction was not through firsthand experience, but through media.  I remember watching an episode of a television show where a character’s first kiss was ruined when her boyfriend’s lips began to swell.  It turned out that he was allergic to peanuts and she had just eaten a peanut butter cookie.  After seeing this I believed that the only thing that happened when someone had an allergic reaction to food was that their lips would swell.  In many instances this may be true, but for people with more severe allergies eating the wrong food can be life threatening.  If you do not know anyone with food allergies, it is likely that mass media is the only source of information you have about potentially serious reactions to something that many of us take for granted, such as eating nuts.      

Many movies and TV shows use food allergies as a punch line.  The movie “Hitch” (Hitch) comes to mind when thinking about food allergies.  In this movie Will Smith is shown having an allergic reaction during a cooking class.  A comedy sequence then ensues where Smith’s entire face swells as he rushes to the drugstore trying to find Benadryl.  An article about the the movie highlights the danger of not taking food allergies seriously, "Like many Americans, he does not take food allergies seriously. He ends up in a stressful situation, racing to the drugstore for over-the-counter medication when he may actually need epinephrine available only by prescription" ("New Will Smith Movie, Hitch, Reveals Common Food Allergy Threat; Will Smith character, the date doctor, unaware of food allergy symptoms").
             The way in which food allergies are depicted are far from how allergies are experienced in reality.  Usually characters depicted with food allergies are “nerdy” and unpopular, the kids that get picked on the most.  Along with their food allergies these characters are usually portrayed as having other conditions such as asthma.  This plays into the food bullying that I discussed in a previous blog post.  Food bullying is often seen in television and movies.  For example, Disney recently had to remove an episode of their television program “Jessie” (Eells) because, after explaining his gluten allergy, one of the characters was bullied by a friend.  His friend threw pancakes, containing gluten, at him causing understandable distress (Samakow). 

Another movie, “Monster-in-Law” (Monster-in-law), shows one of the characters adding ground up nuts to the gravy of her soon to be daughter-in-law.  It was the character’s intent to cause harm to her daughter-in-law, this could give others ideas on how to potentially harm someone with food allergies ("Allergy advocates blast 'Monster-in-Law'.").  The consequences of this attack were minimal in the movie, but in reality it could have caused life threatening anaphylaxis.  Without showing these types of consequences, movies are only perpetuating misconceptions about food allergies.

These portrayals of food allergies in the media contribute to how children treat their peers with food allergies.  The "Jessie" (Eells) example is particularly important because it is a show geared toward a younger audience.  It is likely that these types of depictions in shows are these adolescents first introduction to food allergies.  Being taught from the beginning that food allergies are something to make fun of is dangerous.

Other examples of food allergies in the media paint the allergy sufferer in a bad light.  For example, comedian Amy Schumer did an entire sketch centering on nut allergies.  In this sketch she plays a character who is allergic to nuts.  The sketch takes place in a restaurant where she is seen placing her order with a waiter.  It is an overly dramatic portrayal of someone suffering from a nut allergy being absurdly demanding toward their waiter (McFaul).  The whole sketch makes light of food allergies and pokes fun at people who have to state their allergies at restaurants.  This is another example of how media can shape our views of people with food allergies.  Learning to make light of these types of situations could potentially cause harm when people do not fully understand the gravity of some food allergies. 

In addition, many media outlets show the treatment of allergies.  As I mentioned earlier in Hitch (Hitch), they run to a drugstore where Will Smith downs a bottle of Benadryl causing his symptoms to subside.  While Benadryl is an antihistamine and can help with some allergic reactions, it is not the most effective way to treat anaphylactic shock.  In reality, epi-pens are the most effective and quickest way to treat anaphylactic shock (Boyce et al.). These examples can leave viewers misinformed and ill equipped to help someone suffering an allergic reaction.  It is important that media outlets take food allergies more seriously and become educated on what food allergies actually look like and how they should be treated.  

Here are some of the clips I discussed in my blog:

The allergy scene from "Hitch":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdDPoFcBZEY

The nut scene from "Monster-in-Law":

                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHpyl6uVPrw

Inside Amy Schumer sketch, "Allergic to Nuts"

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/lqf10z/inside-amy-schumer-allergic-to-nuts

Sources:

"Allergy advocates blast 'Monster-in-Law'." UPI NewsTrack 10 May 2005. General OneFile. 

Boyce, Joshua A., Amal Assa'ad, A. Wesley Burks, Stacie M. Jones, Hugh A. Sampson, Robert A. Wood, Marshall Plaut, Susan F. Cooper, and Matthew J. Fenton. "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Summary of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel Report." Journal of the American Dietetic Association 111.1 (2011): 17-27. Web.

Eells, Pamela, creator. Jessie. Disney. Television.

Hitch. Dir. Andy Tennant. By Kevin Bisch. Columbia Pictures Corporation, 2005.

McFaul, Ryan, dir. "Allergic to Nuts." Inside Amy Schumer. Comedy Central. 29 Apr. 2014. Television.

Monster-in-law. Dir. Robert Luketic. Prod. Paula Weinstein. By Anya Kochoff. Perf. Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, and Michael Vartan. New Line Cinema, 2005.

"New Will Smith Movie, Hitch, Reveals Common Food Allergy Threat; Will Smith character, the date doctor, unaware of food allergy symptoms." PR Newswire 14 Feb. 2005. General OneFile. 

Samakow, Jessica. "Disney Pulls 'Jessie' Episode After Petition Claims It Shames Kids With Gluten Allergies." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 May 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.