An general, allergies are very common and are one of the most widespread chronic medical conditions that people live with. It’s hard to be sure how many people have allergies, but we can get a hint by looking at the statistics for particular kinds of allergies. According to the Canadian Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Foundation, one in every four or five Canadians (20 to 25% of the population) has allergic rhinitis (also referred to as “hay fever”). The rate of food allergies in the Canadian population is difficult to pinpoint, because not everybody who says they have a food allergy has been diagnosed by a doctor. However, our best estimates show that about 6 to 8% of Canadians have had one or more allergic reactions related to food – that’s about one of every 13 Canadians.