Key Takeaways
- Peanut allergy rates in children under 3 dropped 43% after guideline changes
- An estimated 40,000 children avoided peanut allergy diagnoses
- Early introduction of peanuts to babies shows real-world effectiveness
Childhood peanut allergies have significantly decreased following updated medical advice recommending early exposure to peanuts in infants. New research reveals an estimated 40,000 children avoided peanut allergy diagnoses after guidelines shifted from avoidance to early introduction.
Dramatic Drop in Allergy Rates
A study published in Pediatrics found peanut allergy rates in children under age 3 dropped by roughly 43% after recommendations expanded in 2017. Overall food allergy rates decreased by about 36%. This dramatic improvement comes a decade after landmark research showed feeding peanut products to babies could reduce allergy risk by over 80%.
“What I was surprised by was the magnitude of the results,” said Dr. David Hill, senior study author and attending allergist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “The fact that we actually saw a reduction in the onset of new food allergy in kids under 3 is incredible.”
Real-World Evidence
Researchers analyzed electronic health records from nearly 50 pediatric practices, tracking food allergy diagnoses in approximately 120,000 children up to age 3. The reduction occurred despite only 29% of pediatricians and 65% of allergists reporting they followed the expanded 2017 guidance.
Sung Poblete of Food Allergy Research and Education praised the study’s real-world focus: “It’s really important to know that in the real world, this can also decrease incidence and prevalence for the infant population.”
Understanding Peanut Allergy
Peanut allergy occurs when the body mistakenly identifies peanut proteins as dangerous, triggering immune responses ranging from hives to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Before 2015, parents were advised to avoid feeding common allergens to infants, but guidance has completely reversed.
Future Directions
Poblete suggested policy changes could further reduce allergy rates, including having the USDA include peanut products in infant food packages. Despite the progress, food allergies remain concerning with 2.2% of U.S. children having peanut allergy.
Dr. Hill emphasized: “This is just a call to double down our efforts to understand why it is that children develop food allergies and how we can better treat and ultimately cure these diseases.”
Guidelines have continued evolving, with the Academy of Pediatrics now recommending introduction of major food allergens to all infants between four to six months of age.
