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Early Infant Feeding Advice Significantly Reduces Food Allergies, Study Shows
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Providing parents with updated infant feeding advice, particularly regarding the early introduction of allergenic foods, dramatically reduces the progress of food allergies in the first year of life. A recent study adds to a decade of research showing the benefits of introducing foods like eggs and peanuts when first starting solids.
Australian Study Confirms Benefits of Early Allergen Introduction
An Australian study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, examined the impact of updated infant feeding guidelines on the prevalence of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody-mediated allergies. The study found that early introduction of allergenic foods significantly lowered the rates of egg, peanut, and cow’s milk allergies. The research also emphasized the importance of ensuring parents receive and understand the latest dietary guidance on food allergy prevention [[source]].
did You Know? The American Academy of Pediatrics also supports the early introduction of perhaps allergenic foods into infant diets [[source]].
Study Design and Key Findings
The study, led by Debra Palmer, PhD, compared two infant cohorts born before and after the implementation of Australia’s infant feeding and allergy prevention guidelines in 2016. All babies had a high familial risk for allergies, with a first-degree relative having a history of allergic disease.
In the first cohort (506 infants born 2006-2014),families received no specific feeding advice. In the second cohort (566 infants born 2016-2022), families received updated infant feeding and allergy prevention guidelines when the infants were 6 months old.
By 12 months of age, the vast majority of infants in the second cohort had been introduced to peanuts (94.2%), eggs (99.3%), and cow’s milk (98.6%).
The results showed a notable reduction in food allergies in the second cohort. The combined prevalence of IgE-mediated peanut, egg, and cow’s milk allergies was just 4.1% in cohort 2, compared to 12.6% in cohort 1. This represents an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 0.28 (95% CI, 0.16-0.48; P < .001).
Individual allergy prevalence also decreased significantly:
- Peanut: 1.1% in cohort 2 vs 5.8% in cohort 1 (aOR, 0.24; 95% CI,0.08-0.76; P = .015)
- Egg: 2.8% in cohort 2 vs 11.7% in cohort 1 (aOR, 0
