A decade after a landmark study proved that feeding peanut products to young babies could prevent development of life-threatening allergies, new research shows that this change has made a significant difference in the real world.
Approximately 60,000 children have avoided developing peanut allergies since guidance updated in 2015 has recommended introducing the allergen to infants starting as early as 4 months.
“That’s a remarkable thing, isn’t it?” said Dr. David Hill, an allergist and researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, who authored a recent study published in Pediatrics. Hill and colleagues analyzed electronic health records from various pediatric practices to examine diagnoses of food allergies in young children before, during, and after the guidelines were initiated.
According to Dr. Hill, “I can confidently say there are fewer kids with food allergies today than if we hadn’t implemented this public health effort.” Researchers found that peanut allergies in children ages 0 to 3 dropped more than 27% after issuance of guidance for high-risk kids in 2015 and by over 40% following an expansion of recommendations in 2017.
While this effort has prompted a reduction in peanut allergies, it has not fully addressed the overall increase of food allergies in the U.S. in recent years, with about 8% of children affected by various food allergies, including more than 2% with peanut allergy.
Historically, doctors recommended delaying the introduction of potential allergy-causing foods until age 3. However, the groundbreaking LEAP trial, published in 2015, demonstrated that introducing peanut products in infancy could reduce the future risk of food allergies by over 80%. Subsequent analysis found that this protection persisted in around 70% of children into adolescence.
Despite the encouraging findings, only a fraction of pediatricians and allergists are fully adopting these guidelines due to initial confusion surrounding the best methods for introducing peanuts. However, new research provides promising evidence that early allergen exposure may be becoming more widespread, producing measurable impacts on public health.
Advocates for individuals with food allergies express hope that the early introduction of peanut products will reduce allergy incidences across the U.S. “This research emphasizes the importance of reducing the prevalence of peanut allergies nationwide,” said Sung Poblete, chief executive of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE).
Parents are advised to consult with pediatricians to discuss the appropriate introduction of peanut products, with options like small amounts of peanut butter, yogurt, and tree nut butters being suggested.
Dietician Tiffany Leon of Maryland shared her own experience, advocating for the early introduction of allergens to her sons. Initially met with skepticism from family, Leon emphasizes trusting evidence-based recommendations for children’s diets. “When informed about new guidelines, I was ready to embrace the changes for my children’s health,” she stated.
With a focused public health effort, experts believe that continued education and adherence to updated dietary guidelines will further combat the prevalence of food allergies in children.
