Processed food, allergies and the challenge of feeding kids

A new clinical study into childhood allergies is a welcome move that also underscores the growing problem parents are grappling with.

- Jieun Wrigley

Shoppers at a hypermarket in Tampines. A growing body of research points to a troubling possibility that highly processed food and beverages are contributing to childhood allergies, says the writer.

(ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI)

Growing up, the word "allergy" didn't carry the same weight it does today. But somewhere between my Capri-Sun childhood of the 1980s and my green juice motherhood, things changed.

Studies show that while Gen X experienced relatively low rates of childhood food allergies, millennials saw a significant increase in peanut, egg, and dairy allergies. By the time Gen Z entered school, allergic conditions were sufficiently common that widespread nut-free policies became standard in many schools.

Reports indicate that Gen Alpha is experiencing unprecedented rates of food allergies. In Singapore, there has been a steady rise in paediatric food allergy cases at clinics under the National University Hospital (NUH) and KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH).

A 2016 KKH study identified food triggers as the leading cause of anaphylaxis a severe allergic reaction that can occur very quickly especially in children. From 2022 to 2024, NUH and KKH saw a 60 per cent rise in clinical evaluations of food allergy status for children.

So here I am, a millennial mum, double-checking labels with intensity.

I'm pleased that a new, four-year clinical study was recently announced aiming to answer questions about the prevalence and impact of food allergies among children in Singapore. Hopefully, this new study will offer some clarity.

Meanwhile, as a parent and a functional nutritionist, I'm concerned about the prevalence and ease of access to ultra-processed food and beverages. Such food synthesised with a cocktail of additives, preservatives, and artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners creep into the daily lives of our children.