Overview
- Published in Pediatrics, the observational study tracked food-allergy diagnoses across dozens of U.S. pediatric practices before and after guidance changes beginning in 2015.
- Peanut allergies in children ages 0 to 3 fell by more than 27 percent following the 2015 recommendations and by more than 40 percent after the 2017 expansion.
- Researchers estimate about 60,000 U.S. children avoided peanut allergy as early-introduction advice took hold, echoing protective effects seen in the LEAP randomized trial.
- U.S. guidance now recommends introducing peanut and other major allergens at 4 to 6 months without routine pretesting, though implementation has been uneven.
- Experts note the data set may not be nationally representative and infant diets were not directly measured, while overall childhood food allergies have risen and international results remain mixed.