Boys 'more likely' to suffer peanut allergy

YOUNG boys are more likely to suffer from a peanut allergy than young girls, new research has shown.

The study, by the University of Edinburgh, also showed that children from affluent backgrounds have the highest rates of peanut allergy.

The team says more research is needed to explain the reasons for this difference.

Researchers studied health records from more than 400 GP practices in England between 2001 and 2005 to find the number of patients with an official allergy diagnosis.

The results showed that males under the age of 20 are almost 30 per cent more likely to suffer from the allergic condition, which can be fatal, than females in the same age group.

However, by adulthood, GP records show that peanut allergy rates are slightly higher in women than in men.

Researchers say this may be partly explained by the fact that, after the age of 15, women are more likely to visit their doctor than men and are therefore more likely to have an allergic condition detected.

Dr Daniel Kotz, who led the research at the University of Edinburgh, said: "This research has shown that whilst peanut allergy is less common than previously thought, it affects over 25,000 people in England.

"Having a serious allergy like this can cause great anxiety and stress to those affected."