PARSIFAL

The international project PARSIFAL (Prevention of Allergy - Risk factors for Sensitization In children related to Farming and Anthroposophic life Style) Is directed from the Institute of environmental medicine at the Karolinska institute, and consists of children from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Austria. Participants were primary selected from schools in rural areas, attending anthroposophic schools or living on farms. Children not living on farms and attending other schools were selected as references. The study design has been described in detail (Alfvén et al 2006). A total of 14,893 children, age 5-13 years participated. The parents answered a questionnaire providing information regarding homeenvironment, food, medical history and socioeconomi. Exposure and lifestyle factors related to the agricultural environment and anthroposophi was focused on. The purpose of PARSIFAL is to study protective factors for allergy development in children raised at farms or in anthroposophic environments.