How common are allergies? More than 50 million Americans (1 in 6) experience all types of allergies, including indoor/outdoor allergies, food and drug, latex, insect, skin and eye allergies. The number of people who have allergies continues to increase across all ages, sex and racial groups.

What percentage of population has allergies?

More than half (54.6 percent) of the people reporting a survey completed in the U.S. indicated that they had positive reactions to one or more allergens. Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) affects between 10 and 30 percent of all adults in the U.S. and as many as 40 percent of children.

Why are allergies common?

Allergies occur when the body's immune system reacts to a particular substance as though it's harmful. It's not clear why this happens, but most people affected have a family history of allergies or have closely related conditions, such as asthma or eczema. The number of people with allergies is increasing every year.