The prevalence of peanut allergies in Quebec is higher than expected, a survey suggests.

According to the McGill University Health Centre survey of 4,339 primary school children, the prevalence of peanut allergies in children in Montreal is about 1.5 per cent.

An estimated 150,000 Canadians suffer from peanut allergies
An estimated 150,000 Canadians suffer from peanut allergies

The level is higher than expected, the researchers said. Previous research suggested a worldwide prevalence of about one per cent.

Dr. Rhoda Kagan of the pediatrics department at McGill is one of the authors of the study. She said anecdotally, most allergists believe peanut allergies are on the rise.

The team's findings help bolster the theory, but it is too early to tell definitively.

Rather, the findings offer a baseline measurement for the next time researchers count peanut allergies in the province.

The study appears in the December issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The investigators say it is the first North American study on allergy to corroborate medical history with diagnostic testing.

Between December 2000 and September 2002, the team gave pin-prick allergy tests and foods with peanuts or placebos to students who were in kindergarten through Grade 3.

Scientists don't know why peanut allergies seem to be more common. They've pointed to greater consumption, increased public awareness and a general trend to more allergies such as hay fever.