FOOD FOR KIDS: Why do so many kids have food allergies, and what can we do about it?

17-Sep-2018 - Last updated on 30-Jul-2019 at 10:05 GMT

Related tags Allergies

The prevalence of food allergies has increased dramatically over the last 25 years, with infants and children most severely affected. But why? Is it changes in gut bacteria? The so-called ‘hygiene hypothesis’? The rising use of antibiotics? Is prevalence, and in some cases severity, increasing? What do we know, what don’t we know (yet), and what are the next steps in addressing the problem?

Get the lowdown from Steve Taylor, PhD, co-founder and co-director at the Food Allergy Research & Resource Program, at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the latest speaker to join our line-up at the FoodNavigator-USA FOOD FOR KIDS summit in Chicago November 12-14.

In his presentation on November 13, Dr Taylor will explore:

Why kids are allergic – the multiple factors that contribute to a growing problem
Why avoidance diets don’t work – inhibiting life quality and prone to risk
What peanuts teach us – clinical trials that prove oral tolerance can be acquired
Daily dosing – how immunothereaputic treatments can achieve consistent desensitization
Opportunities for innovation – creating food products that control allergies

At FOOD FOR KIDS – held in Chicago’s W Hotel - we will open with a lively parents’ panel exploring the day-to-day challenges around cooking and shopping for kids, and then take a deep dive into the market, the marketing, the branding, the nutrition science (what kids are actually eating, vs what they probably should be eating), and the infant microbiome.

We’ll also delve into the latest brand innovations targeting every life stage, from the new wave of HPP baby food brands to Paleo meat snacks for tweens, healthy lunchbox snack trends, low-and zero sugar beverages, clean label trends, and new direct-to-consumer distribution models.

Finally we'll explore what children are eating outside the home, whether we need a 'kids' menu' at restaurants, and how companies targeting schools and quick service restaurants are finding ways to develop healthier foods that meet tight budgets and evolving nutrition standards, but also appeal to kids.

Find out more and register HERE to join us at FOOD FOR KIDS, which is sponsored by Cargill, DSM, The National Dairy Council, Ardent Mills, Beneo, Sabinsa, The A2 Milk Company, and Peatos.