Early Introduction of Complementary Foods Reduces Risk for Allergic Disease at Age 6 Years

Previous guidelines recommended delaying the introduction of allergenic foods to infants in hopes of preventing food allergy and other allergic disease. This practice has been called into question as rates of food allergy increase in western countries. Recent guidelines now recommend earlier introduction (ages 4-6 months) of all foods (NEJM JW Pediatr Adolesc Med Feb 20 2013). Researchers prospectively examined the association between the introduction of food during the first year of life and development of allergic disease by age 6 years in a birth cohort of 856 rural European newborn infants.

Half the children grew up on farms and half had at least one atopic parent. Food diversity was measured by the number (0-6) of common foods that were…