Australian guidelines recommending the introduction of egg into a child's diet within the first year have led to a 17 percent reduction in the number of children with egg allergy, according to research released on June 8.
The study, led by The University of Queensland and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, examined 7,200 children across two Australian population-based studies. Researchers aimed to determine if egg allergy rates had declined since the implementation of new guidelines in 2016.
Associate Professor Jennifer Koplin from UQ's Child Health Research Centre said that egg allergy remains one of the most common food allergies among young children. Associate Professor Rachel Peters from Murdoch Children's Research Institute said, "The reduction in egg allergy was even more pronounced in babies with eczema, which is a known risk factor for food allergies." Among these children, researchers found that egg allergy rates decreased from 35 percent to 22 percent.
Peters said, "The introduction of the 2016 guidelines was a major change from most advice given in the 1990s and early 2000s, which recommended parents delay giving eggs and other allergenic foods until 1-3 years of age if there was a strong family history of allergy." She added that current advice from the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy recommends introducing well-cooked egg and smooth peanut butter soon after babies start eating solid foods, typically around six months old. Other common allergenic foods such as cow milk, fish, sesame, wheat and tree nuts are also recommended before one year of age.
Koplin said more research is needed into food allergies. "Although we are beginning to see a reduction in egg allergy, it still remains common," she said. "Some babies can still develop food allergy despite following the guidelines, and further research is underway and needed to find other prevention strategies. But we hope these findings provide reassurance to parents to continue following the current recommendations."
