This work was funded by the NIHR, through an NIHR Research Professorship (NIHR303123). It was delivered through our Steering Group in partnership with young people with food allergy and their parents, GPs, paediatric allergists, dietitians, dermatologists, health visitors, midwives, pharmacists, and patient charities (Allergy UK, Anaphylaxis UK, Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, Eczema Outreach Support).

We worked with the James Lind Alliance to find out what patients with food allergy, parents/carers and healthcare professionals think are the most important unanswered research questions, which we don’t have answers for.

Food allergies affects up to one in ten children in the UK.

Living with a food allergy affects children’s daily lives as families have to search for food alternatives, often have problems eating out and being included in school meals and activities and many have to carry emergency medication and worry about the possibility of life-threatening reactions.

Growing up with a food allergy can affect a child’s nutrition, relationship with food, inclusion in social events and mental health as they carry the burden of feeling different and left out from their friends.

There are many unanswered questions about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of food allergy in children. In the past, research priorities have often been set by funders and researchers rather than those directly impacted.

We identified the Top 10 research questions most important to people with food allergy, parents/ carers and healthcare professionals who care for those with food allergy. Now are we are working hard to reach as many people as possible and ensure that future research focuses on what really matters to those living with and looking after people with food allergies.

The final Top 10 research priorities provide a powerful tool to guide future studies, funding decisions, and policy changes.The results of this project will make sure that future questions being researched are important to patients, carers and healthcare providers.

This project is part of the Transforming Outcomes for Paediatric allergy In Primary care (TOPIC) programme of work. You can read more about the TOPIC programme by clicking on this link.