A groundbreaking study confirms that introducing peanut products to babies between four and six months of age is making a measurable difference in reducing real-world allergy rates a decade after the practice was first recommended.
A notable drop in peanut allergy diagnoses
New research shows that the rate of peanut allergies in children aged zero to three has begun to decline since medical guidance changed to recommend introducing the allergen early. This shift in advice—which began in 2015 and was expanded in 2017—upended decades of medical practice that had previously advised delaying allergenic foods until age three.
According to a study published in the medical journal Pediatrics, peanut allergy diagnoses in young children fell by more than 27% after the initial 2015 guidance for high-risk infants and by over 40% following the expanded 2017 recommendations.
Dr. David Hill, an allergist and researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the study’s author, noted the magnitude of the change. He and his team analyzed electronic health records from numerous pediatric practices to track food allergy diagnoses in young children before, during, and after the new guidelines were issued.
Thousands of children protected from allergies
The study estimates that approximately 60,000 children have avoided developing food allergies since 2015, with about 40,000 of those children being protected specifically from peanut allergies. Despite this progress, food allergies still affect about 8% of children, and over 2% continue to have a peanut allergy.
Peanut allergies occur when a child’s immune system mistakenly identifies peanut proteins as harmful, triggering the release of chemicals that cause allergic symptoms like hives, respiratory issues, and potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis.
The inspiration behind the change
The medical reversal that led to the current guidelines was spurred by the 2015 Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) trial, a landmark study published by Gideon Lack at King’s College London. The LEAP trial demonstrated that introducing peanut products during infancy could reduce the future risk of developing these allergies by over 80%. Further analysis showed this protection lasting in about 70% of children into their adolescence.
Current recommendations for parents
Despite the clear benefits, surveys indicate that implementing the new practice has been slow among some healthcare providers. Only about 29% of pediatricians and 65% of allergists reported following the expanded 2017 guidance.
The new study reinforces the importance of the updated 2021 guidance, which recommends introducing peanuts and other major food allergens between four and six months of age, without the need for prior screening or testing.
Parents are encouraged to consult their pediatricians with any questions. Dr. Hill suggests that a safe way to introduce these foods and allow the immune system exposure is by offering "little tastes of peanut butter, milk-based yogurt, soy-based yogurts, and tree butters.” The goal is not a large quantity but consistent, early exposure to these allergenic foods.
Picture: Do you like peanuts? (Gemini)
