Author Identifier (ORCID)

Summer V.M. Walker: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7694-2269

Johnny Lo: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1913-5354

Claus Christophersen: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1591-5871

Abstract

Background: Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have found that introducing eggs and peanuts earlier during infancy reduced egg and peanut allergy risk. Hence, infant feeding advice has dramatically changed from previous recommendations of avoidance to current recommendations of inclusion of common food allergens in infant diets. Objective: To compare the prevalence of IgE-mediated food allergies at 1 year of age between 2 cohorts, before and after infant feeding and allergy prevention guidelines changed. Methods: In cohort 1 (506 infants born 2006-2014), no infant feeding advice was provided to participants. In cohort 2 (566 infants born 2016-2022), when the infants were 6 months of age, all families were provided with updated infant feeding and allergy prevention guidelines. All infants had a first-degree relative with a history of allergic disease. At 1 year of age, infant food allergen sensitization and IgE-mediated food allergy were assessed. Results: Peanut, egg, and cow's milk were introduced earlier in cohort 2 than in cohort 1 (all P < .001). The combined prevalence of IgE-mediated peanut, egg, and/or cow's milk allergies was 4.1% in cohort 2 compared with 12.6% in cohort 1 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-0.48, P < .001). Specifically, the prevalence of peanut allergy was 1.1% versus 5.8% (aOR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08-0.76, P = .015), egg allergy 2.8% versus 11.7% (aOR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.12-0.45, P < .001), and cow's milk allergy 0.5% versus 2.4%, respectively (aOR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.04-0.55, P = .005). Conclusion: Direct provision of updated food allergy prevention guidelines to families facilitated earlier introduction and reduced the prevalence of IgE-mediated peanut, egg, and cow's milk allergies.

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

1-1-2025

PubMed ID

40553938

Publication Title

Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice

Publisher

Elsevier

School

Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences / School of Science

Funders

National Health and Medical Research Council / Telethon-Perth Children’s Hospital Research Fund / Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship / Kids Research Institute Australia Ascend Fellowship / Stan Perron Charitable Foundation Fellowship / Nova Institute for Health

Grant Number

NHMRC Numbers : 1002381, 1046036, 1099480

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Comments

Walker, S. V. M., D’Vaz, N., Pretorius, R. A., Lo, J., Christophersen, C., Prescott, S. L., & Palmer, D. J. (2025). Infant diet recommendations reduce IgE-mediated egg, peanut and cow’s milk allergies. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2025.06.012

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1016/j.jaip.2025.06.012