Late Introduction of Solid Foods Boosts Allergy Risk

Filed in archive Allergy: Research and Development , Food Allergies on February 10, 2010

© joeltelling

When my children were just babies and were just starting to eat solid foods, the current recommendation then was to put off introduction of solid foods until the baby was at least 6 months old, particularly if allergies run in the family. Recently, however, a recent study published in the January 2010 issue of the Pediatrics journal suggests that postponing the introduction of solid foods may actually be counterproductive in preventing allergies.

To investigate, the researchers looked at 994 children participating in a study of diabetes prevention. All had been followed since infancy. The average duration of exclusive breastfeeding among the children was less than two months.

At age five, 17 percent had food allergies, while 23 percent were "sensitized" to certain inhaled allergens. Twelve percent were sensitized to cow's milk, 9 percent to eggs, 5 percent to wheat, and 1 percent to fish.

Late introduction of some foods increased the likelihood that a child would be sensitized to that food by the time he or she was five years old, the researchers found, whether or not the child's parents had allergies themselves.

The current recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other authorities on child health is that babies be breastfed exclusively up to six months of age, at which time parents can begin introducing solid food. Perhaps this recommendation ought to be reviewed, given these new findings.