Primary Prevention of Food Allergy

Primary Prevention of Food Allergy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The goal of this review is to present an updated summary of the various approaches to prevent childhood food allergies and report recent advances in potential prevention trials for food allergy.

RECENT FINDINGS

Several approaches related to maternal dietary supplementation as well as infant GI-based supplementation have been tried and are the subject of ongoing clinical investigation. The prevalence of food allergy appears to be increasing but several, varied approaches to prevention are being actively pursued such that an effective strategy may not be too far in the future.

Caregiver and expecting caregiver support for early peanut introduction guidelines

BACKGROUND

Recent guidelines recommend early peanut introduction (EPI) beginning around 4 to 6 months of age in infants with severe eczema and/or egg allergy and around 6 months for all other infants. Caregiver preferences for such practices are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To determine levels of support for early allergenic solid food recommendations among new and expecting caregivers of infants at risk for peanut allergy.

METHODS

We explored preferences for EPI and in-office allergy risk assessment (IRA) through a nationally representative survey of expecting (n = 1,000) and new caregivers of infants younger than 1 year (n = 1,000).

RESULTS

Among a primarily female (99.7%), married (80.3%), and white (74.4%) sample, 29% had no or vague awareness of the new guidelines, 61% had no or minimal concern for their child developing food allergy, but 54% felt timing of food introduction has moderate to strong importance for developing food allergy. Only 31% expressed willingness for EPI before or around 6 months of age, with 40% reporting willingness to introduce peanut after 11 months of age, similar to tree nuts and seafood. However, 60% reported willingness to introduce egg before 8 months of age. A total of 51% and 56.8% were unwilling to allow IRA methods, such as skin testing and oral challenge, before 11 months of age, respectively. Odds of willingness to delay peanut introduction (odds ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.96) and undergo challenge (odds ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.82) after 6 months of age were lower among expecting caregivers.

CONCLUSION

Among new and expecting caregivers, there is poor current willingness and questionable support for early allergenic solid food recommendations, including IRA before introduction. Willingness was better among expecting vs current caregivers. These trends underscore a need for broader formal implementation planning to facilitate early allergen introduction and maximize its preventive benefits.