Patients to help set the agenda for food allergy research

A doctor carrying out a food allergy test on a child

Press release issued: 10 December 2024

Food allergies affect one in five children in the UK. To help set the priorities for future research, University of Bristol researchers are asking children and young people with food allergies, their parents, and health care professionals who care for them for their views.

Growing up with a food allergy can affect a child’s physical, emotional and social wellbeing, and that of their family too. There are many unanswered questions about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of food allergy in children, and researchers do not know which are the most important to children, parents and health care professionals.

Working with the James Lind Alliance – a not-for-profit organisation which looks to identify unanswered health research questions by reaching out to those most affected – the researchers have launched a survey and are inviting children and young people, their parents and health care professionals to respond. The research is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The results of the survey will help guide researchers and those who fund research to focus on the needs of young people living with food allergy.

Matthew Ridd, lead for the project, a GP and NIHR Research Professor at the University of Bristol’s Centre for Applied Excellence in Skin and Allergy Research, said: “Families with children with food allergy are underserved, both in terms of the available support but also by research into their condition. Until now, research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of food allergy has been decided by researchers and funders. This is an opportunity for everyone who lives or looks after a child with food allergy to share their priorities.

“It does not matter if you are unsure whether the answer to your question is already known. We will sift through all the responses and publish a summary of answers where research has been done. The important thing is to have your opinions included so future research addresses the issues which matter most.”

More information and a copy of the survey are available from the study website and the results will be available on the website in 2025.

This work is funded by the NIHR, through an NIHR Research Professorship awarded to Professor Ridd. It is being delivered 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).

Professor Matt Ridd is Director of the Centre for Applied Excellence in Skin and Allergy research (CAESAR). CAESAR is a newly establish Centre (funded by the NIHR Research Professorship), set up to accelerate research into common skin and allergy problems. It sits within the Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol, which is one of nine members of the NIHR School for Primary Care Research.

Further information

About the Centre for Academic Primary Care
The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at the University of Bristol is a leading centre for primary care research in the UK, one of ten forming the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. It sits within Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching. Follow on Bluesky: @capcbristol.bsky.social, X: @capcbristol and LinkedIn.

About the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:

Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.

About the James Lind Alliance
The James Lind Alliance (JLA) is a non-profit making initiative bringing patients, carers and clinicians together in JLA Priority Setting Partnerships (PSPs). The JLA PSPs identify and prioritise unanswered questions or evidence uncertainties that they agree are the most important, so that health research funders are aware of the issues that matter most to the people who need to use the research in their everyday lives.