Introducing peanuts to babies as early as 4 months old could significantly reduce the risk of peanut allergies later in life, according to new research published in Pediatrics. The findings suggest that early exposure — once discouraged — is now showing promising results in protecting children from developing severe allergic reactions.
“New onset peanut allergy dropped by 43% in kids under 3,” said Dr. David Hill, M.D., Ph.D., from the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in an interview with Fox News Digital. Hill, one of the study’s authors, also noted that new-onset food allergies overall fell by 36% in that age group.
The study builds on years of evolving guidance around peanut exposure. Before 2015, parents were told to avoid giving peanuts to children younger than 3. That changed after the groundbreaking Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) trial, which found that infants exposed to peanuts between 4 and 11 months old — especially those with severe eczema or egg allergies — had an 81% lower risk of developing a peanut allergy.
Following the LEAP results, pediatric allergy organizations updated their recommendations in 2015 and 2017, encouraging earlier introduction of peanuts for high-risk infants. The guidelines were expanded again in 2021 to include all children.
“It just seems like there’s this window of tolerance during early infancy,” explained Dr. Susan Schuval, chief of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. “If we introduced the foods during that window, you would prevent food allergy. If you wait until after that window, the child will be more predisposed to having a food allergy.”
Hill and his research team analyzed electronic health records from several states to assess how these guideline changes affected allergy rates. After the 2015 recommendations, peanut allergies decreased by 27% and food allergies by 38%. Following the 2017 revisions, peanut allergies dropped by 43%, and overall food allergies by 36%.
“Everyone has been wondering whether these landmark public health interventions have had an impact,” said Dr. Stanislaw Gabryszewski, another study author. “We now have data that suggest the effect of this landmark public health intervention is occurring.”
Hill added that he’s “hopeful that our findings will help to spread awareness that early allergen introduction is safe and effective.”
Experts emphasized that while early introduction doesn’t eliminate all food allergies, the results are encouraging. Schuval noted, “Not everyone has followed those guidelines, but this is further evidence that this early introduction is effective at preventing food allergies.”