Early Peanut Introduction linked to Significant Drop in Childhood Allergies
WASHINGTON (October 26, 2023) – A new study suggests that introducing peanuts to infants between four and six months of age may have prevented peanut allergies in approximately 60,000 children in the United States. The research, published recently, indicates a growing adoption of guidelines recommending early allergen introduction, perhaps leading to a measurable decrease in the prevalence of peanut allergy.
Previous recommendations advised delaying peanut introduction, but landmark research immediatly sparked new guidelines urging early introduction – a shift that has seen slower-than-anticipated implementation. Surveys found that only about 29% of pediatricians and 65% of allergists reported following the expanded guidance issued in 2017. Confusion and uncertainty about the best way to introduce peanuts early in life contributed to this lag, with initial concerns about replicating clinical settings outside of research environments.
The updated guidance, reinforced in 2021, calls for introducing peanuts and other major food allergens between four and six months, without prior screening or testing. Parents are advised to consult their pediatricians with any questions.
“It doesn’t have to be a lot of the food, but little tastes of peanut butter, milk-based yogurt, soy-based yogurts and tree butters,” explained Dr. Matthew Hill, an author of the study. “These are really good ways to allow the immune system exposure to these allergenic foods in a safe way.”
Advocates for the 33 million Americans with food allergies have welcomed the findings. “This research reinforces what we already no and underscores a meaningful opportunity to reduce the incidence and prevalence of peanut allergy nationwide,” said Sung Poblete, chief executive of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE).
Tiffany Leon, a Maryland registered dietician and director at FARE, introduced peanuts and other allergens early to her own sons, James, 4, and Cameron, 2. She noted initial skepticism from family members, but emphasized the importance of evidence-based recommendations. “As a dietician, I practice evidence-based recommendations,” Leon said. “So when someone told me, ‘This is how it’s done now, these are the new guidelines,’ I just thought, OK, well, this is what we’re going to do.”
While the data for the analysis came from a subset of participating practice sites and may not represent the entire U.S. pediatric population, according to dr. ruchi Gupta, a child allergy expert at Northwestern University, the research offers “promising evidence that early allergen introduction is not only being adopted but might potentially be making a measurable impact.”