Children need to be introduced to a wide variety of foods from a young age, not only to ensure they eat a healthy and nutritious diet, but also to protect their future health.
Regarding peanut allergies, a new study has found that introducing children to peanuts as an infant is crucial to reducing the likelihood of developing an allergy later in life.
According to Allergy UK, around one in 50 children in the UK are affected by a peanut allergy. It is a common cause of food allergies. Only one in five children overcomes a peanut allergy, which often develops in early childhood.
Researchers at King’s College London found that children who were exposed to peanuts from infancy to the age of five were 71 percent less likely to develop an allergy as teenagers than children who were not exposed to peanuts at a very young age.
Until 2008, parents were advised not to give their children peanut products and other foods that can cause allergic reactions. But new research shows that children benefit from being exposed to peanuts at a young age.
Professor Gideon Lack, lead researcher of the study, said: “Decades of recommendations to avoid peanuts have made parents reluctant to introduce peanuts at a young age. The evidence is clear that early introduction of peanuts in infancy induces long-term tolerance and protects children from allergies into adolescence.
“This simple action will make a significant difference for future generations and lead to a significant reduction in peanut allergies.”
In the study, which is part of the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) clinical trial, half of the participants were asked to regularly consume peanut products from infancy to the age of five, while the other half were instructed to avoid peanuts during the same period.
The results were overwhelmingly positive, supporting the idea of giving peanut products to young children to reduce the risk of allergy. Early introduction of these products reduced the risk of peanut allergy at age five by 81%.
Children who ate peanut products as babies were significantly less likely to develop a peanut allergy, even if they avoided or ate few peanut products between the ages of six and twelve or beyond.
Study co-leader Professor George Du Toit, also from King’s College London, said: “This is a safe and highly effective intervention that can be implemented as early as four months of age. The child must be developmentally ready to begin weaning and peanuts should be introduced as a soft, pureed paste or as peanut balls.”
This echoes the findings of a 2023 study led by Professor Graham Roberts at the University of Southampton. Professor Roberts found that introducing peanuts early into an infant’s diet reduced the risk of peanut allergy in high-risk infants, particularly those with severe eczema.
He found that when infants with eczema were diagnosed with peanut allergies at four months of age and those without eczema at six months of age, the incidence of peanut allergies decreased by an estimated 77%.
Watch: Scientists say giving this food to babies could protect them
Margaret Kelman, acting head of clinical services at Allergy UK, said: “For expectant parents and parents of young children, there will hopefully be a change in advice on weaning, particularly for infants who are at high risk of allergies.”
“We believe it is important that those who wish to introduce peanut products at around four months of age do so under the guidance of a healthcare provider. Regardless, this latest research supports previous studies showing that introducing this practice could potentially lead to a reduction in cases of peanut allergy in people with food allergies.”
Researchers at King’s College London estimate that 100,000 cases of peanut allergy could be prevented worldwide each year. They suggest giving infants peanut products from the age of four months, if possible, as food allergies usually only appear at this age.
Signs and symptoms of a peanut allergy
Peanut allergies, like other food allergies, occur when our immune system “overreacts” to certain foods, according to the NHS. It’s unclear why this happens, and certain foods are more likely to trigger allergic reactions in some people.
The most common foods that cause allergic reactions are:
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Cow’s milk
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Eggs
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Peanuts, soybeans, peas and chickpeas
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Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios and Brazil nuts
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Shellfish
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Wheat
For people with allergies, symptoms may appear immediately after eating the food they are allergic to. However, sometimes symptoms may not appear until days later.
The most common symptoms of a food allergy include:
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Dizziness or lightheadedness
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Itchy skin or a raised rash
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Swelling of the lips, face and eyes
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Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, loud breathing, or a hoarse voice
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Sneeze
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Itchy, runny and stuffy nose
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Feeling sick or being sick
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Stomach pain
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Diarrhea
You must call 999 if you or someone near you experiences any signs of a severe allergic reaction. These include:
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Sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue
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Very rapid breathing or shortness of breath
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Tightness in the throat or difficulty swallowing
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Skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale – in people with black or brown skin this may be more easily noticeable on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
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Sudden confusion, drowsiness or dizziness
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Powerlessness and inability to wake up
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A child becomes limp, weak or does not react as usual
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