Early Peanut Introduction Reduces Risk for Peanut Allergy

During the past 10 years, the prevalence of childhood peanut allergy in Western countries has doubled to rates of 1.4% to 3%. In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that children at high risk for the allergy should avoid peanut consumption until age 3. In 2008, these recommendations were withdrawn due to lack of evidence.

To determine which of these strategies is more effective for preventing peanut allergy in high-risk infants, investigators in the U.K. conducted a single-center, randomized, controlled, open-label study involving 640 infants (age range, 4–11 months) with severe atopic dermatitis or egg allergy. The participants were randomized to peanut consumption (2 grams of peanut protein 3 times per week) or peanut avoi…