Food Allergy Stigma and the Meaning of Christian Community

For most college students, attending class, sharing a meal, living with roommates, or going to an event are routine parts of university life. Yet for students navigating life-threatening allergies, these ordinary moments can carry constant uncertainty, turning familiar campus experiences into situations marked by immediate risk.

According to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), more than 33 million Americans live with food allergies, including approximately 1 in 10 adults and 1 in 13 children. Each year, around 3.4 million Americans seek emergency room treatment for food allergy-related reactions. In fact, FARE reports that approximately every 10 seconds, a food allergy reaction sends someone to an emergency room in the United States.

These statistics point to an urgent public health concern. Despite how common and dangerous food allergies are, their social consequences remain largely misunderstood.