How Widespread Are Food Intolerances?

In a limited survey by Statista Consumer Insights, between 6 and 17 percent of respondents said they had a food intolerance confirmed by a health professional. The figure was highest in the U.S. and lowest in France. In four other countries surveyed - the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico and China - between 10 and 11 percent said this was the case for them.

Food intolerances and allergies, like insensitivity to gluten, dairy, sugar or more specific products, have been a hot topic over the last couple of years. While more and more people cut certain foods out of their diets because of allergies or because they consider them bad nutrition, other accuse those engaging in this behavior of following a fad. While awareness around food insensitivities has certainly risen and more people were able to get diagnoses in the field, hyperconsiousness around food, health and fitness are also becoming more widespread - with both areas increasingly harder to distingush from one another.

According to the UK's NHS, common food intolerances include lactose, gluten, histamines and sulphites, but also caffeine, alcohol and lesser-known salicylates.