An estimated 32 million Americans, including 26 million adults and 5.6 million minors, live with a food allergy. For many of these Americans, their day-to-day lives involve avoiding certain foods that can trigger moderate to severe allergic reactions. However, subsisting on such a restricted diet can be pretty costly, especially if affected persons are allergic to a range of foods.
As the cost of living increases amid global supply chain issues and inflation, people with food allergies are experiencing even higher living costs than those without allergies. Data collected by the Allergy Team has revealed that families living on restricted diets are now spending up to 73% more on their food budgets, compared to families with no diet restrictions.
The Allergy Team tracked the average costs for common household foods such as pasta, cheese, milk and bread, and found that diet restrictions are significantly increasing the cost of living for families with diet restrictions. Pea milk, for instance, is a common alternative for families with milk allergies, but it can cost up to 50% more than regular cow milk.
Gluten-free penne pasta has gone up by more than 100% since last January, and cheese alternatives, such as Nurishh Vegan Cheddar Style Slices Cheese Alternative, have increased by a whopping 67%. Plant-based cheeses, milks and yogurts act as calcium and Vitamin D sources for children with milk allergies, but rising costs are making it increasingly harder for families to purchase these often life-saving alternatives.
The United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency noted last year that households with food intolerances and allergies are spending more on food compared to families that had no need for alternative foods in their diets.
According to Allergy Team founder Sarah Knight, the extra cost saddled onto families with food intolerances is quickly becoming unbearable. Knight, who has two children with severe food allergies, says that despite the increased costs, she and other families have no choice but to dig deeper into their wallets because it is a “matter of life and death” for their kids.
The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that food costs have increased by more than 15% in recent years, with families that are looking for food alternatives being “particularly vulnerable” to price increases. Furthermore, Allergy UK CEO Carla Jones notes that labeling practices may further restrict the choices of such families because they often fail to provide a comprehensive list of ingredients, instead opting to say products “may contain” certain ingredients.
Not all is lost for people with food allergies, however. A number of enterprises, including Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX), are invested in finding ways to reprogram the immune system so that it no longer reacts aggressively against common ingredients in food.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ADTX
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