Research into reducing peanut allergy

Current guidelines in many countries including Australia recommend avoidance of peanuts during infancy. However, a joint British-Israeli study has now found evidence to suggest avoiding peanuts in infancy and early childhood may actually increase the risk of developing peanut allergy.

The study comprised a clinically-validated questionnaire to determine the prevalence of peanut allergy among Jewish schoolchildren (5171 in the UK and 5615 in Israel). A second validated questionnaire assessed peanut consumption and weaning in Jewish infants (77 in the UK and 99 in Israel). The findings showed that in Israel, the prevalence of peanut allergy is only 0.17 per cent compared to 1.85 per cent in the UK.

The study also found Israeli infants consume peanut in high quantities in the first year of life, whereas UK infants avoid peanuts. The average monthly intake of peanuts by the Israeli children aged between eight and 14 months was reportedly 7.1 grams of peanut protein, but it was zero for children in the UK.

The authors maintain the difference is not accounted for by differences in atopy, social class, genetic background, or peanut allergenicity, and suggest that early introduction of peanut during infancy, rather than avoidance, may prevent the development of peanut allergy.

Reference: Du Toit et al. 2008 "Early consumption of peanuts in infancy is associated with a low prevalence of peanut allergy". The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Vol. 122, pp 978-985.