- Many UK parents are delaying introducing highly allergenic foods like eggs and nuts, despite national guidelines recommending early introduction
- Children with a family history of allergies tend to avoid allergenic foods, increasing allergy risk
- The study calls for better public education on updated allergy guidelines
A new study , published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, has found that several parents are delaying the introduction of highly allergenic foods, which may increase the risk of their children developing allergic diseases.
Foods such as eggs and nuts, which are among the most common allergy triggers, are often being introduced into children's diets after 12 months of age, contrary to public health guidelines.
Although the NHS recommends introducing highly allergenic foods one at a time in small amounts from around six months to monitor for any response and not avoiding these foods whilst pregnant, the study suggests that a large proportion of the UK population are not adhering to this professional advice. As a result, the risk of developing an allergic condition may increase, which goes against what many parents believe.
Led by Dr Suzannah Helps from the University of Portsmouth, the study included 390 participants, with data collected at key stages: during pregnancy, at birth, and when the child was approximately 6, 12, and 24 months old. At each of these points, parents provided information on family history of allergies and the infant's diet, with the aim of assessing whether a family history of allergy influenced infant feeding practices.
"For years, families were advised to avoid allergenic foods during pregnancy and early childhood, but research now shows this guidance may have actually increased the risk of allergies, particularly in children", said Dr Helps , from the School of Health and Care Professions at the University of Portsmouth .
The research found that children with a family history of allergy were more likely to have diets that avoided foods with high allergenic potential, again increasing the risk of developing an allergy.
The study further found that while most infants were introduced to allergenic foods like eggs and nuts between 6 and 9 months, by 12 months, one in five infants had not tried eggs, and a third had not tried nuts.
This indicates that many parents are not following guidelines for the early introduction of allergenic foods, a trend observed in both families with and without a history of allergies.
It also emphasises the issue that, historically, guidelines advised against consuming allergenic foods during pregnancy and early childhood, yet this approach may now be more harmful.
The research, which involved a large sample of families, follows other major trials such as Learning Early About Peanut ( LEAP ) and Enquiring About Tolerance ( EAT ) that demonstrate early exposure is key to prevention.
"It's vital that this updated understanding reaches the public, as delayed introduction of these foods continues to contribute to the allergy epidemic", explained Dr Helps.
These patterns highlight a gap between public health recommendations and actual feeding practices, suggesting that more education and guidance are needed to bridge the divide and promote healthier dietary habits for allergy prevention
