Obesity may raise kids' allergy risk

Obese children and teens are at increased risk for allergies, especially food allergies, say U.S. researchers.

The study authors analyzed data from 4,111 participants, aged 2 to 19, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and found that obese children and teens were 26 percent more likely to have any kind of allergy, and 59 percent more likely to have a food allergy, than their normal-weight peers.