A 15-year study of 11,537 Hong Kong children aged 2-7 years reveals a growing disconnect between parent-perceived and doctor-diagnosed food allergies. While parent-reported food allergy increased from 6.1% in 2006 to 8.5% in 2020, doctor-diagnosed cases remained stable at approximately 5%. Alarmingly, allergic reactions to specific triggers showed sustained increases: egg allergy doubled to 1.86%, peanut nearly tripled to 1.52%, tree nut increased five-fold to 0.68%, and shellfish rose to 1.99%. Meanwhile, asthma and wheezing declined, while eczema increased. The findings highlight an urgent need for improved allergy diagnostic services and public education to bridge the gap between perceived and confirmed allergies in urban Asian populations.
