Expert: Environmental factors now a key cause of allergies

Environmental factors such as the daily use of detergents and plasticizers as well as exposure to motor vehicle exhaust and smog are now among the major causes of allergy in a rising number of adults and children, said a leading expert during a media interview on Wednesday, one day ahead of World Allergic Diseases Day.

According to Professor Li Wei, a chief physician from the dermatological department of Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University in Shanghai, allergies are the sixth most prevalent chronic disease in the world. He added that allergies such as atopic dermatitis (AD) on the skin, urticaria, pollen-induced asthma, and various food allergies, are quite common today.

Statistics from the World Allergy Organization (WAO) show that the worldwide incidence of allergic diseases has increased by at least three times in the past three decades, and the current global prevalence of allergies has reached 22 percent.

"In China, the incidence of allergy started rising obviously in 2000 when people's living and eating habits were influenced by the West and affected by industrialization," said Li, who is also an allergy expert at the Chinese Association of Dermatologists and the vice-director of the Shanghai Institute of Dermatology.

During the media interview, Li also shared ways of tackling allergies. For example, a pregnant woman suffering from skin allergies could consume probiotics, keep a pet at home and avoid excessive washing of clothes to change the microbes situation in her surroundings and stimulate immune balance. This could even help reduce the possibility of the child suffering from allergies in the future.

Li also reminded parents to pay attention to the psychological health of their adolescent children with skin allergy problems.

"Having rashes on the face lowers their confidence in making friends. The itch also makes it hard to fall asleep at night, and this aggravates their emotional problems," he said.