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Background The influence of food avoidance due to allergic symptoms in infancy on the growth of children at school age has not been well evaluated. Methods To determine the growth of schoolchildren who avoided eggs, milk, or wheat due to immediate allergic symptoms in infancy (food avoiders in infancy) (FAI), a questionnaire on the presence of allergic diseases, as well as present height and weight, was administered to the parents of 14,669 schoolchildren. 11,473 subjects had available data. The height and weight standard deviation scores (HtSDS and WtSDS) and body mass index percentile (BMI percentile) of each subject were calculated. Results FAI had significantly lower WtSDS than non-FAI ( P = 0.01). Among those with avoidance at age 3 years, those who avoided two or more foods and those who avoided milk had significantly lower HtSDS than their counterparts ( P = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). FAI had a significantly lower prevalence of obesity ( P = 0.01) and overweight ( P = 0.002), while there was no difference in the prevalence of underweight ( P = 0.58), resulting in a significantly higher prevalence of appropriate weight ( P = 0.01) compared to non-FAI. Significantly lower prevalence of obesity and overweight was observed even among those who terminated the avoidance by age 3 years. Conclusions FAI were less likely to be obese or overweight, resulting in a higher prevalence of appropriate weight at school age. Further investigation should contribute to better management of food allergy and obesity.

Background: Published data regarding changes in the prevalence of childhood allergic diseases in Japan have been limited. Methods: To observe changes in the recent trends of the childhood allergy epidemic in Japan, a population- based questionnaire survey of allergic diseases was conducted among 13,215 schoolchildren, aged 7 to 15 years, in Kyoto, Japan in 2006. The results were compared with those obtained in the 1996 survey using the same scale and methods in the same region. Results: The prevalences of bronchial asthma (BA), atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR), and allergic conjunctivitis (AC) in 1996 and 2006 were 5.1% and 5.0% (p = 0.58), 4.2% and 5.6% (p < 0.0001), 20.3% and 27.4% (p < 0.0001), and 13.3% and 25.2% (p < 0.0001), respectively. Although the distribution of BA severity improved, the severity distribution of AD, AR, and AC all deteriorated. The lifetime prevalence (present prevalence and past history combined) of BA increased from 6.5% to 7.6% (p < 0.0001). The sex ratio analysis showed that the female predominance in the prevalence of AD observed in 1996 disappeared in 2006, indicating a particular rise in AD prevalence among boys. Conclusions: Overall, the results indicate that the rising trend of allergic diseases, especially in AD, AR, and AC, continues among schoolchildren living in Kyoto, Japan. Special attention should be paid to skin and naso- ocular symptoms.