Why are more and more people allergic? Experts from Peking Union Medical College Hospital: Please Change Your Exquisite Lifestyle Allergic | Disease | Lifestyle

Yin Jia has been battling allergies for over 30 years.

As the head of the Department of Allergy at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the president of the Allergy Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, Yin Jia found that the number of patients with allergic diseases has been increasing in recent years, especially in the past decade, which can be described as a "sharp increase" and urgently needs to be widely recognized.

August 7th to 13th is the 8th "China Allergy Prevention and Control Week", with the theme of "paying attention to climate, environmental and lifestyle changes, and preventing allergies".

"I hope to help the public understand the impact of climate, environment, and lifestyle changes on allergic diseases through science popularization and academic promotion, improve the public's awareness of allergic diseases induced by these factors, and enable them to consciously avoid allergenic triggers in their daily lives, pursue a natural lifestyle, protect the environment, and work with doctors to jointly promote the improvement of the prevention and treatment level of allergic diseases in China," said Yin Jia.

The number of people with allergies is rapidly increasing, showing a trend towards youthfulness

People who are not allergic have difficulty understanding the feeling of allergies. Some people believe that allergy means being overly sensitive to a certain substance.

"Allergy is actually an overreaction of the body's immune system to foreign substances due to disorder." Yin Jia takes this seriously. "When an allergy occurs, the immune system regards substances that are usually acceptable and tolerable, such as pollen and food, as foreign objects, resisting and clearing them, causing damage to human tissues, and ultimately leading to allergic symptoms such as edema, rash, asthma, etc."

Allergic diseases have only recently reached the forefront in the disease spectrum of Chinese people in recent years. Yin Jia went out of the outpatient department at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Previously, there was a peak season during the off-season, but now throughout the year, the number of patients has never decreased, and the trend is becoming younger and younger.

"The number of people with allergies is now at a rapid growth level, especially in the last 10 years, I think it has almost increased sharply." Yin Jia said, "And in the young group, the incidence rate of diseases has become particularly high. In my outpatient clinic, almost half of the patients are children, like pediatrics, and many toys have to be placed in the consulting room. These children have eczema, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, and some even milk, eggs, wheat are intolerant, can not eat."

Regarding the number of people with allergies, although there is currently no epidemiological survey based on the general population in China, clues can be seen from some local surveys.

In 2009, Yin Jia undertook a national project, and carried out epidemiological investigation on the incidence rate of eight allergic diseases in more than ten cities across the country, involving more than 100000 people.

Data shows that at that time, 10 years ago, the incidence rate of allergic diseases in big industrial cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Jinan was close to that of western developed countries; In cities with relatively backward development, the incidence rate is low. "It can be seen that the incidence rate of allergic diseases is closely related to GDP growth, economic development and urbanization," said Yin Jia.

Beijing Century Temple Hospital has conducted epidemiological investigations on pollen syndrome in Inner Mongolia. The results published in 2018 show that the local incidence rate of pollinosis is 18%, and the incidence rate of allergic rhinitis is more than 20%.

If we look at the world again, we can see that allergic diseases have been a rapidly increasing public health problem in developed and developing countries in recent decades, and have become a major global epidemic. The World Health Organization estimates that there are currently 400 million people worldwide suffering from allergic rhinitis and 300 million suffering from asthma.

This situation has caused a huge socio-economic burden. As early as 2007, the total cost of treating allergic diseases in the United States reached 19.7 billion US dollars; In 2014, the estimated EU value was 5.5 to 15.1 billion euros; The direct and indirect medical expenses related to hay fever in Japan reach nearly 300 billion yen annually.

Environment and climate change exacerbate allergic diseases

Why are more and more people allergic now? Yin Jia explained using a common allergic disease called pollen syndrome as an example.

Previously, it was reported that the high incidence of pollen sickness in Yulin, Shaanxi was due to the aerial seeding of Artemisia annua by sand control planes, which caused a particularly high concentration of pollen in the air, leading to a surge in patients. Yin Jia does not agree with this.

"The incidence rate of pollinosis is increasing, not only in a certain region, but also in many places. For example, there is no aerial seeding in Wulanchabu, Inner Mongolia, and Zhangjiakou, Hebei, but the number of patients is also increasing, which is also a serious disaster area of pollinosis," said Yin Jia.

Yin Jia believes that the answer to the problem needs to be found in changes in climate, environment, and lifestyle. "These three changes are the reasons for the increase in patients with allergic diseases and also the entry point for prevention," she said. Behind these three aspects is the improvement of economic development level, so allergies are also known as "wealth diseases".

In recent years, global climate change has become an important issue of concern for governments around the world. The increased incidence rate, prolonged course, aggravation of the disease and the consequent increased disease burden of allergic diseases caused by climate change and environmental factors have attracted great attention from the allergy academia all over the world.

According to Yin Jia, factors such as rising temperatures, warming climate, rising sea levels, accelerated glacier melting, increased extreme weather, hurricanes, thunderstorms, severe drought, and air pollution can prolong the pollen season, increase pollen production, and increase concentration in the air; Flooding caused by extreme weather makes a large area of residential areas soaked in water, which leads to the increase of mold content in indoor and outdoor air, and the increase of incidence rate of mold allergic asthma.

"The incidence rate of hay fever in some areas of China has exceeded 20%, of which 37% of patients with pollen allergic rhinitis will develop asthma within five years; mold induced asthma has become the primary cause of allergic asthma in children in China." Yin Jia said.

Based on this situation, the World Allergy Organization has set the theme for this year's World Allergy Week as "Climate change exacerbates allergic diseases, preparing to respond". It calls on workers in the field of allergic diseases worldwide to promote scientific knowledge in this area to the public, and everyone should work together to face the increasing challenges of allergic diseases.

Change the overly refined lifestyle and get closer to nature

If changes in the environment and climate are an aid, then changes in lifestyle are the main driving force behind the increase in the population of allergic diseases.

"70 years ago, what did Chinese people use to wash their hair?" Yin Jia once initiated a survey on his Weibo account, and many netizens participated. "Some said they used soap, some said they used plant ash, some said they used soap, and some said they used alkali. In short, they are all natural."

Soon, Chinese people's washing products became more abundant, and various artificially synthesized shampoo products emerged one after another. Yin Jia's concerns also followed.

"The traditional way of life for thousands of years has kept the incidence rate of allergic diseases at a low level in China. Since the reform and opening up, China's economy has developed rapidly, and people's living standards and lifestyles have also changed dramatically compared with those before." Yin Jia said, "With the improvement of living standards and environment, various indoor decoration materials, food additives, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, etc. have become indispensable products for everyone; compared with their ancestors, young people's lives are more far away from nature."

In the past few decades, the number of people with allergies, represented by pollen syndrome, has sharply increased in Western countries. In Yin Jia's view, this is because the exquisite lifestyle and frequent use of washing products have disrupted people's natural skin protection barriers and digestive tract barriers, leading to various skin allergies and food allergies.

"To the outside world, the human body has several barriers, such as the skin barrier, respiratory barrier, and digestive barrier. They are a microbiota composed of various microorganisms. The gut has the microbiota of the intestine, while the skin has the microbiota of the skin. There are many beneficial bacteria that coexist with us, providing a natural protection to achieve a stable balance between the internal and external ecology." Yin Jia said, this balance is constantly being disrupted.

For example, disinfection. "Disinfection is everywhere in life, disinfecting floors, tableware, hands, pacifiers... Under the influence of various chemicals, the balance of the human body is disrupted." Yin Jia said, "In the past, living conditions were poor, and many rural children were infected with parasites, with roundworms in their stomachs. While infecting those bacteria and parasites, they also exercised a strong immune system and suppressed allergies." In response, Yin Jia suggested that today's parents: let their children play with dirt more.

Allergies can be prevented and treated, but there are too few doctors available

100 years ago, American experts discovered that those who worked in the fields were exposed to pollen every day and did not suffer from pollen sickness. Instead, they were those who were always indoors.

"People who always live indoors, do not expose themselves to the sun, and do not come into contact with external air are prone to allergies. Tests have found that the vitamin D content in most patients' bodies is particularly low - due to lack of sunlight and excessive sun protection. Low vitamin D is a risk factor for asthma and allergies," said Yin Jia.

Therefore, approaching nature and adjusting lifestyle are important ways to prevent allergic diseases. "The lifestyle you adopt determines whether you are more prone to allergies," Yin Jia said.

Once suffering from allergic diseases, Yin Jia reminds that the first step is to go to a regular hospital to check for allergens, and once found, use the correct methods to avoid them. "Meanwhile, we suggest undergoing desensitization therapy." She said, "Although it cannot be cured, desensitization therapy is the only treatment method that can change the natural progression of allergic diseases."

Yin Jia said, "The principle of desensitization treatment is similar to getting vaccinated. Whatever you are allergic to, you will be given what you want, gradually increasing from a small dose until a relatively large dose is administered. The immune system in the body is stimulated and exercised time and time again, and when encountering allergens, it becomes tolerable."

When it comes to diagnosis and treatment, Yin Jiaxi worries and says, "Allergy doctors are best at specific diagnosis and desensitization treatment. However, there are very few specialized doctors in China now."

According to statistics, there are only over 300 allergy doctors nationwide, and with other specialists involved in allergies such as ear, nose, throat, and breathing, there are only over 2000 people. "Why do we need to develop disciplines? Why do we need to promote allergy awareness? Why do we need to do science popularization? It's because our medical resources in this area are too scarce, and we need to vigorously cultivate specialized doctors." Yin Jia said.

"After understanding the causes of allergic diseases, they can be prevented and treated." Yin Jia said, "During this year's' China Allergy Prevention and Treatment Week ', we will promote the scientific knowledge of various allergic diseases included in this year's theme to patients, the media, and the public, improve the public's awareness of factors such as climate, environment, and lifestyle that can induce allergic diseases, help them actively seek medical examination and help, maintain a healthy and natural lifestyle, avoid allergens, protect the environment, and jointly prevent the occurrence or aggravation of allergic diseases."