Food has many more functions than simply physical nourishment. Food represents a means by which people express social connectivity, culture, and emotion. For the 6% to 8% of the population with food allergy and allergen avoidance is a cornerstone of management. But requisite avoidance also
challenges the ability of such expression. The prevalence of food allergy has dramatically increased in recent decades, and disproportionately affects children. Despite advances in knowledge in the diagnosis, management and prevention of food allergy, the burden of food allergy remains less
understood. This knowledge gap is particularly evident for children, and their families, living in areas and situations where access to healthcare and to allergy-friendly foods is limited.

In this Research Topic, we intend to present an overview as to how households with food allergy, particularly those who are economically-disadvantaged, manage allergy, and glean insight into patient-oriented perceptions of policy needs. We also intend to provide an overview of the financial burden of food allergy to healthcare systems. Authors are favored to cover other specific
topics of great interest that have not been mentioned in this summary but fall within the theme of the Research Topic.

This is a multidisciplinary issue that involves allergy specialists, representatives from patient organizations, as well as healthcare policy analysts and economists. All article types accepted by Frontiers in Allergy are welcome but, original research is strongly encouraged. Case series with a sufficient sample size that provides novel insight into the field and unbiased meta-analysis are also welcome.

Suitable themes for manuscripts include, but are not limited to:
• Household costs associated with food allergy, with consideration to recent global increases in food prices
• Examinations of food insecurity amongst families managing food allergy (including single vs. multiple food allergies), compared to the general population
• Emergency food services (e.g. food banks) to support households living in food insecure situations while managing food allergy
• Other interventional studies, such as food delivery systems or other forms of support, to households managing food allergy
• Differences in food prices between products with vs. without allergy aware labelling
• Perceptions of policy needs, as described by patient partners, allergy experts and industry
• Costs of food allergy to the healthcare system, including but not limited to differences billing, fees, and emergency treatment

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Frontiers in Allergy

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