To investigate the prevalence of food allergy among children living in metropolises aged 0-14 years.

In this cross-sectional study a questionnaire was distributed to parents taking care of children aged 0-14 years from China′s 31 metropolises to get the parents reported prevalence.

A total of 337 560 children aged 0-14 years participated in the survey.There are 19 676 children reported with food allergy(5.83%). In different regions, the parents reported prevalence of food allergy had significant difference(χ²=657.01, P<0.001). It was highest in the eastern (7.38%, 5 259) and the northeastern (7.03%, 2 916) part of China, and was lowest in the northwestern part of China, which was 4.35%.Of all the 31 surveyed metropolises, the parents reported prevalence of food allergy was highest in Qingdao, and lowest in Lhasa, which was 9.11%(917/10066), and 2.33% (116/4984)respectively.The prevalence of food allergy in males and females was 5.87% and 5.79% respectively, with no significant difference (χ²=1.078, P=0.299). The prevalence of food allergy in preschool children (3-5 years old, 6.65%) was higher than other ages (χ²=46.469, P<0.001). Of children reported to have food allergy, 38.5% had a history of eczema, 23.0% had a history of allergic rhinitis, and 37.7% had a family history of allergic diseases.

The parents reported prevalence of food allergy among children 0-14 years old from 31 metropolises in China was 5.83%.In different regions cities and ages, there′s significant difference of the reported prevalence.There′s no significant difference of parents reported prevalence between males and females.The study would have great significance in reflecting and evaluating the prevalence of food allergy among children.

Children; Food allergy; Self-report rate; Prevalence