The scale of the problem

Studies have repeatedly shown that about 20% of adults and 28% of parents suspect that they, or their children, suffer from an adverse reaction to foods. When tested using blinded food challenges, where neither the researcher nor subject knows what food is being tested, only 1.5% of adults and 6% of infants were actually found to suffer from an adverse reaction to any food. This means that slightly in excess of 0.1% of the population (excluding coeliac disease) suffer from an adverse reaction to wheat - be it an allergy or an intolerance. This illustrates the dangers of self-diagnosis, which may serve to distract attention from the real cause of a person's health problem. Unfortunately, self-diagnosis or diagnosis by discredited tests bought at health food shops and over the web are becoming very fashionable.  Not only are these tests expensive but they are inaccurate and misleading. Only a blood test taken by your GP can properly diagnose an allergy.