Patterns of vegetable allergy and their public health implications in urban and rural populations

• Maria Zofia Lisiecka ^[1] ; Joanna Luczak ^[2]
  1. [1] Individual Specialist Medical Practice
  2. [2] National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration
• Localización: Nutrición clínica y dietética hospitalaria, ISSN 0211-6057, Vol. 46, Nº. 2, 2026, págs. 469-480
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.12873/NCDH-2026-132
• Enlaces
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• Resumen

  • Objective: To analyse the clinical and immunological characteristics of vegetable allergy and to summarise age-related, molecular, and urban-rural patterns reported in the scientific literature.

    Methods: This study was conducted as a structured narrative review with secondary synthesis of published epidemiological evidence and theoretical modelling. Published studies indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed were analysed to compare age-related patterns of sensitisation, allergen characteristics, and urban-rural differences. No primary clinical data were collected.

    Results: Published evidence suggests that vegetable allergy is more frequently reported in early childhood, whereas severe systemic reactions tend to occur more often during adolescence. Published evidence suggests that molecular characteristics of allergens influence the clinical phenotype, with lipid transfer proteins being more commonly associated with severe systemic reactions than thermolabile proteins. Secondary data synthesis also indicates differences between urban and rural settings regarding diagnostic practices, dietary behaviour, and access to allergy care.

    Conclusion: Vegetable allergy represents a complex clinical and public health issue influenced by age, molecular sensitisation, and environmental factors. The integration of published epidemiological evidence and theoretical modelling may support risk stratification and the development of preventive and dietary management strategies. Further multicentre studies based on primary clinical data are needed to validate the identified patterns.

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