Abstract
Food allergies and food intolerances affect approximately 1% of the adult population in the United States and approximately 7% of children. Often, children lose their food intolerances as they mature. Food allergies and intolerances differ in that a food allergy involves the immune system, whereas food intolerance is restricted to the gastrointestinal tract. Lactose intolerance is an example of the latter, whereas gluten-induced enteropathy is an example of the former. Treatment of both is similar: exclusion of the troublesome food component.