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| Preventing allergies in children |
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Having a child with an allergy is a genuine worry for parents, and is something that seems to be on the rise. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a 50 per cent increase in food allergies in children from 1997 to 2011, the most common food allergens being peanuts, eggs and milk.
However, a recent study by Imperial College London (ICL) discovered that children who are exposed to these allergenic foods early have a reduced risk of developing an allergy later in life.
The research looked at eggs and peanuts and found that children who started eating eggs between four and six months had a 40 per cent reduced risk of developing an allergy, while children who starting eating peanuts between four and eleven months of age had a 70 per cent reduced risk of developing an allergy. Interestingly, this reduction didn't apply to milk, wheat, nuts or fish.
Lead research author from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London, Dr Robert Boyle, said:
"This new analysis pools all existing data, and suggests introducing egg and peanut at an early age may prevent the development of egg and peanut allergy, the two most common childhood food allergies."
This research finding goes against the previous guidelines that advised parents to delay giving these allergenic foods to infants.
Today, the Australian allergy guidelines state that: "All infants should be given foods that are common food allergens including peanut butter, cooked egg, dairy and wheat products in the first year of life. This includes infants considered to be at high risk of developing food allergy.
Parents are sometimes worried about giving egg and peanut butter to their infants, as they are common food allergens. However, it is best to offer your infant cooked egg and peanut butter regularly, starting before 12 months of age."
The study predicted that an early exposure to peanuts could prevent 18 allergy cases per 1,000 children, and early exposure to eggs could prevent 24 cases of allergies per 1,000 people.
Another recent study into allergenic foods has found that the risk of allergies occurring could be reduced even before a child is born. The study, undertaken by Xtend Life Products found that 25 per cent of pregnant women believed that reducing their own intake of allergenic foods while pregnant would reduce their child’s risk of developing an allergy, when in fact the opposite is now recommended.
ASCIA (Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy) recommends a "healthy balanced diet, rich in fibre, vegetables and fruit during pregnancy, which provides many health benefits to the mother and infant during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Exclusion of any particular foods (including foods considered to be highly allergenic) from the maternal diet during pregnancy or breastfeeding is not recommended, as this has not been shown to prevent allergies."
Madelyn Loo, Xtend-Life's qualified nutritionist said, "Research indicates that pregnant women who eat a varied diet, without restricting certain allergens, may in fact be protecting their child from food allergies later in life due to increased tolerance from early exposure.
"There is therefore no reason for pregnant women to restrict their diet, unless they already have a known allergy."
The study called for increased education and awareness for new mums to convey the importance of a varied diet during pregnancy, and shift the opinion that allergies only developed post delivery.
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