May 12 - 18, 2019: Food Allergy Awareness Week

WHEREAS, as many as 32 million Americans have food allergies; nearly 6 million are children under the age of 18; and,

 

WHEREAS, research shows that the prevalence of food allergies is increasing among children and adults; and,

 

WHEREAS, eight foods cause the majority of all food allergy reactions in the United States: crustacean shellfish, fish, milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, and wheat. Symptoms of a food-allergic reaction can range from mild to severe, such as anaphylaxis; and,

 

WHEREAS, anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death; and,

 

WHEREAS, food allergy results in more than 200,000 emergency department visits each year. Reactions typically occur when an individual unknowingly eats a food containing an ingredient to which they are allergic; and,

 

WHEREAS, the number of food allergy reactions requiring emergency treatment is up sharply over the past decade, with a 380 percent rise in insurance claim lines with diagnoses of anaphylactic food reactions between 2007 and 2016; and,

 

WHEREAS, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim May 12-18, 2019 as Food Allergy Awareness Week in Michigan.