A decade after a landmark study proved that feeding peanut products to young babies could prevent the development of life-threatening allergies, new research finds the change has made a big difference in the real world.
About 60,000 children have avoided developing peanut allergies after guidance first issued in 2015 upended medical practice by recommending introducing the allergen to infants starting as early as 4 months.
“That’s a remarkable thing, right?” said Dr. David Hill, an allergist and researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and author of a study published in the medical journal Pediatrics. Hill and colleagues analyzed electronic health records from dozens of pediatric practices to track diagnoses of food allergies in young children before, during, and after the guidelines were issued.
“I can actually come to you today and say there are less kids with food allergies today than there would have been if we hadn’t implemented this public health effort,” he added.
The researchers found that peanut allergies in children ages 0 to 3 declined by more than 27% after the initial guidelines were issued in 2015 and by more than 40% after expanded recommendations in 2017.
The effort hasn’t yet reduced an overall increase in food allergies in the U.S. in recent years. About 8% of children are affected, including more than 2% with a peanut allergy.
Peanut allergy occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies proteins in peanuts as harmful. This misidentification triggers allergic symptoms including hives, respiratory issues, and, in severe cases, anaphylaxis.
Historically, doctors recommended delaying the introduction of peanuts and other allergenic foods until after age three. However, the groundbreaking LEAP trial published in 2015 demonstrated that early exposure to peanut products could reduce the future risk of developing food allergies by more than 80%. This protection appears to persist in approximately 70% of children into adolescence.
Despite slow adoption of the new guidelines, the results of this new research provide promising evidence that introducing peanut products early may be trending positively. Advocates for individuals with food allergies express optimism that early introduction can significantly reduce the prevalence of peanut allergies.
The latest guidance, which has been updated in 2021, emphasizes the introduction of peanuts alongside other major food allergens between four to six months without prior screening or testing. Parents are encouraged to consult pediatricians about the best practices for introducing allergenic foods.
“It doesn’t have to be a lot of the food, but little tastes of peanut butter, milk-based yogurt, soy-based yogurts, and tree butters are effective ways to safely expose the immune system to these foods,” stated Dr. Hill.
Families like that of Tiffany Leon, a registered dietician from Maryland, are already implementing these guidelines. Leon introduced peanuts and other allergens early to her children, proving that consistent evidence-based practices can change health outcomes.
The research indicates that with greater awareness and implementation, there is a valuable opportunity to systematically reduce the incidence of peanut allergies nationwide.
