Weaning babies onto peanuts drastically reduces their chances of developing a severe allergy, research shows.
In the most conclusive evidence yet, a UK study found giving peanut to children as young as four months is likely to have a protective effect.
Kings College London researchers found regular peanut consumption from infancy to age five reduced the rate of peanut allergy by 71 per cent.
This remained the case years later as teenagers when they had either eaten or avoided peanut at will, showing its long-lasting protection.
Researchers said the ‘simple intervention’ could spare thousands of youngsters from developing the potentially fatal condition.
Kings College London researchers found regular peanut consumption from infancy to age five reduced the rate of peanut allergy by 71 per cent
Peanut allergies are rising in Western countries with around two per cent of children in the UK, North America, Australia and western Europe affected.
It develops early in life, is rarely outgrown and there is no cure – often making parents fearful of introducing it into diets.
At its most dangerous, it may cause anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal.
Researchers wanted to build on earlier results of the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) clinical trial, in which they had found early introduction reduced the risk of peanut allergy at age five by 81 per cent.
They followed the same two groups of children from age six to 12 or older, with half regularly eating peanuts from infancy and the other group avoiding them.
During that time, children could choose to eat peanut in whatever amount and frequency they wanted.
Some 15.4 per cent of those from the early childhood peanut-avoidance group had a peanut allergy compared to just 4.4 per cent of those weaned on to it – the equivalent of 71 per cent higher.
Lead investigator Professor Gideon Lack from King’s College London said: ‘Decades of advice to avoid peanuts has made parents fearful of introducing peanuts at an early age.
‘The evidence is clear that early introduction of peanut in infancy induces long term tolerance and protects children from allergy well into adolescence.
‘This simple intervention will make a remarkable difference to future generations and see peanut allergies plummet.’
He added: ‘Early consumption of peanut will prevent more than 100,000 new cases of peanut allergy every year worldwide.’
Scientists tested peanut tolerance by gradually increasing the amount of peanut they were given to determine if they could safely consume at least 5 grams – the equivalent of more than 20 peanuts.
Participants were also asked to complete surveys about their recent patterns of peanut consumption.
This was verified through measurements of peanut in dust from participants’ beds, a technique used successfully in the initial LEAP trial.
They found although those who were in the original peanut-eating group ate more peanut throughout childhood overall, the frequency and amount consumed varied widely and included periods of not eating peanut.
This shows the protective effect of early peanut consumption lasts without needing to consistently eat peanut products, according to the findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers hope this will end years of contradictory advice. Mothers and fathers used to be told not to give peanuts to children with a family history of a peanut allergy until they were at least three – and to all others until they were at least one.
That guidance was scrapped in 2009, when they were told to avoid peanuts until their babies were at least six months, irrespective of allergies.
Peanut allergies are rising in Western countries with around two per cent of children in the UK, North America, Australia and western Europe affected
In the UK, the NHS still recommends babies are given nuts and peanuts from around six months old, as long as they are crushed, ground or in smooth butter form.
Professor George Du Toit, Co-Lead Investigator from King’s said the research suggests this could be brought down.
He said: ‘This is a safe and highly effective intervention which can be implemented as early as 4 months of age.
‘The infant needs to be developmentally ready to start weaning and peanut should be introduced as a soft pureed paste or as peanut puffs.’
The research was sponsored and co-funded by the US National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), where guidance urges parents to give diluted peanut butter to babies as young as four months.
Source: Mail Online
