Increasing allergy rates may be linked to junk food, says new research

20 Jun 2019 --- Children with food allergies have higher subcutaneous levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) than children with respiratory allergies, or those with no allergies at all, a new study has found. High levels of AGEs were also found to be present in many junk foods – specifically in foods that are processed, microwaved, sugar-derived, or in roasted or barbequed meats. AGEs, which are lipids or proteins that become glycated after sugar exposure, have previously been linked to various oxidative-based diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and neurological disorders, but there had been no known prior connection to food allergies – until now.

The researchers highlight how science is only just starting to explore the importance of AGEs in the pathogenesis of food allergy and stresses the need for more studies to better elucidate the mechanisms of action, as well as to distinguish the strength of association between specific types of food allergy and AGEs.

“Emerging scientific evidence suggested a potential negative impact of AGEs on the immune system and body health. The data obtained in our study strongly suggest a negative impact on the protective factors against food allergies, in terms of the integrity of the gut barrier system and allergic/inflammatory response. It was surprising to find that AGEs are potent in altering the gut barrier,” Roberto Berni Canani, Chief of the Allergy Program at the Department of Translational Medical Science and Chief of the ImmunoNutritionLab - CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Research Center at the University Federico II, Italy, and principal investigator in this study, tells NutritionInsight.

The study involved 61 children, aged between six and twelve, with some having food or respiratory allergies, and others having no allergies. In addition to finding a connection between food allergies and AGEs, the study also confirmed a significant correlation between subcutaneous levels of AGEs and junk foods, as well as discovering evidence regarding the mechanism of action elicited by AGEs in determining food allergies.

“These new findings show there are still many environmental and dietary issues affecting our health and wellbeing. Healthcare professionals and patients do not have all of the important information to face a disease that dramatically impacts their quality of life, and industrialized food processing and labeling gaps will not help them. We call on the public health authorities to enable better prevention and care of food allergy,” says Isabel Proaño, Director of Policy and Communications at the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations.

Do AGEs explain the increase in allergies among children?
There is increasing evidence that food allergies are rising globally, particularly among young children. The consumption of highly-processed foods, which contain high levels of AGEs, has increased in parallel, with some European countries reportedly consuming up to 50 percent of their total energy intake in highly-processed foods.Berni Canani presented his research at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in Glasgow, June 2019.

“As of yet, existing hypotheses and models of food allergy do not adequately explain the dramatic increase observed in the last years – so dietary AGEs may be the missing link. Our study certainly supports this hypothesis, and we now need further research to confirm it. If this link is confirmed, it will strengthen the case for national governments to enhance public health interventions to restrict junk food consumption in children,” remarks Berni Canani.

Children’s eating habits are an important target of intervention for food allergy prevention, he notes. “Today we have scientific evidence on the detrimental role of these compounds in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases. More efforts should be made by health authorities in limiting the exposure to a high level of dietary AGEs, especially in the pediatric age.” 

“For clinicians, information about the impact of the diet on the occurrence of food allergy must be known and disseminated. A diet based on homemade foods and rich in vegetable fiber has a protective effect, while a diet rich in junk foods facilitates the occurrence of food allergies,” Berni Canani adds. 

This new link comes in light of other findings surrounding childhood allergies. A Canadian study found that oral immunotherapy (OIT) can be used to safely treat peanut allergies, even in very young children. OIT works by allowing the patient to consume very small quantities of the allergen, then gradually increasing the amount as the patient becomes desensitized. Ninety percent of children in the study successfully reached the maintenance stage, with only 0.4 percent experiencing a severe reaction.

By Katherine Durrell