Early Peanut Exposure Slashes Allergy Risks by 71%

A long-term study from King’s College London highlights that introducing peanuts into infants’ diets as early as four months significantly decreases the chances of developing a peanut allergy in adolescence. The research confirms that consistent peanut consumption early on lowers the allergy risk by 71% compared to avoiding peanuts.

Regular peanut feeding from infancy to age five resulted in a 71% decrease in peanut allergy rates during adolescence, even after years of varied peanut consumption.

These findings offer conclusive proof that early introduction of peanuts into babies’ diets effectively prevents peanut allergies in the long term.

Professor Gideon Lack, the lead researcher from King’s College London, stated: Years of advising parents to avoid peanuts have instilled fear in them about introducing peanuts early.

Long-term Benefits of Early Peanut Introduction

The evidence unequivocally shows that introducing peanuts in infancy promotes long-term tolerance and shields children from allergies well into adolescence. This straightforward intervention will have a significant impact on future generations, leading to a sharp decline in peanut allergies.

Today (May 27), the results from the LEAP-Trio trial are published in the NEJM Evidence by researchers from King’s College London, sponsored and co-funded by the US National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Peanut allergy rates are on the rise in Western countries, with about 2% prevalence among young children in North America, the UK, Western Europe, and Australia. Even small quantities of peanuts can trigger life-threatening allergic reactions in some individuals. This, coupled with conflicting guidance, has led to apprehension among parents and caregivers about introducing peanuts into children’s diets.

The latest research stems from the LEAP-Trio study, expanding upon the outcomes of the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) clinical trial.

Early Peanut Introduction Reduces Allergy Risk

During the first trial, participants were split into two groups: one group was instructed to integrate peanuts into their diets regularly from infancy until age 5, while the other group was advised to avoid peanuts during this period. The findings revealed that early introduction of peanuts significantly reduced the risk of developing a peanut allergy by 81% by the age of 5.

15.4% of those who avoided peanuts in early childhood developed a peanut allergy by age 12 or older, compared to only 4.4% of those who regularly consumed peanuts during early childhood.

These findings indicate that consistent early peanut consumption reduces the risk of peanut allergy in adolescence by 71% compared to early avoidance of peanuts.

Safe and Effective Early Peanut Introduction

Professor George Du Toit, Co-Lead Investigator from King’s College London, remarked: “This intervention is both safe and remarkably efficient, suitable for implementation as early as 4 months of age. It’s important that infants are developmentally prepared for weaning, and peanuts should be introduced in the form of a soft pureed paste or peanut puffs.”

The researchers also noted that while participants in the LEAP peanut-consumption group consumed more peanuts on average throughout childhood compared to the other participants, the frequency and quantity of peanut intake varied significantly within both groups and included periods of peanut avoidance.

This suggests that the protective effect of early peanut consumption persists without the need for consistent peanut consumption throughout childhood and early adolescence.

Adolescent Peanut Allergy Assessment: Oral Food Challenge

For the assessment of peanut allergy in adolescents, the LEAP-Trio study team primarily conducted an oral food challenge. This procedure involved gradually administering increasing amounts of peanuts in a carefully controlled environment to determine if participants could safely tolerate at least 5 grams of peanuts, equivalent to over 20 peanuts.

Additionally, the study team surveyed participants regarding their recent peanut consumption habits and corroborated self-reports by measuring peanut residues in participants’ bed dust, a method previously validated by LEAP investigators.

Professor Lack, who heads the Children’s Allergy Service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, emphasized: “Early peanut consumption has the potential to prevent over 100,000 new cases of peanut allergy annually worldwide.”

Read the original article on: ScitechDaily

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