Early peanut consumption could prevent 100,000 allergy cases each year

Feeding children peanuts regularly from infancy to age five has been shown to reduce the rate of peanut allergy in adolescence by 71 percent, according to a new study led by King’s College London (KCL). The research  suggests that early consumption of peanuts can achieve long-term prevention of peanut allergies. 

“Today’s findings should reinforce parents’ and caregivers’ confidence that feeding their young children peanut products beginning in infancy according to established guidelines can provide lasting protection from peanut allergy,” said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which co-funded the study.

“If widely implemented, this safe, simple strategy could prevent tens of thousands of cases of peanut allergy among the 3.6 million children born in the United States each year.”

Early peanut consumption 

The LEAP-Trio trial –  a study of early peanut consumption – initially revealed an 81 percent reduction in peanut allergy by age five when peanuts were introduced early. Follow-up results demonstrate sustained benefits, with only 4.4 percent of early peanut consumers developing allergies by age 12 or older, compared to 15.4 percent in those who avoided peanuts.

“Participants from a randomized peanut consumption trial were assessed for peanut allergy following an extended period of eating or avoiding peanuts as desired. The primary end point was the rate of peanut allergy at age 144 months,” noted the study authors. 

Significance of the study

“Decades of advice to avoid peanuts has made parents fearful of introducing peanuts at an early age,” said senior author Gideon Lack, an expert in immunology and pediatrics at KCL. “The evidence is clear that early introduction of peanuts in infancy induces long term tolerance and protects children from allergy well into adolescence.”

The study’s results are significant, particularly as peanut allergies are rising in Western countries, affecting about two percent of young children in North America, the UK, Western Europe, and Australia. Small amounts of peanuts can cause life-threatening allergic reactions, leading to fear and conflicting advice about introducing peanuts into diets.

Reduced risk of peanut allergy 

The LEAP-Trio study monitored participants from age six to twelve and found that regular, early peanut exposure reduced the risk of peanut allergy by 71 percent compared to early avoidance. 

“This is a safe and highly effective intervention which can be implemented as early as 4 months of age. The infant needs to be developmentally ready to start weaning and peanut should be introduced as a soft pureed paste or as peanut puffs,” said co-lead investigator George Du Toit, an expert in pediatric allergy at KCL.

Protective effect of early peanut consumption 

Furthermore, the study showed that the protective effect of early peanut consumption persisted without the need for consistent peanut intake throughout childhood and early adolescence. 

The researchers tested for peanut allergy primarily through an oral food challenge and verified self-reported peanut consumption through measurements of peanut in dust from participants’ beds.

“Peanut consumption, starting in infancy and continuing to age 5 years, provided lasting tolerance to peanut into adolescence irrespective of subsequent peanut consumption, demonstrating that long-term prevention and tolerance can be achieved in food allergy,” wrote the researchers.

“Early consumption of peanuts will prevent more than 100,000 new cases of peanut allergy every year worldwide,” Lack concluded.

More about peanut allergies

Peanut allergies are a significant health concern that affect both children and adults. When someone has a peanut allergy, their immune system mistakenly identifies proteins from peanuts as harmful.

This immune response can trigger a range of symptoms that vary from mild, such as hives or gastrointestinal discomfort, to severe, like anaphylaxis – a potentially life-threatening reaction that impairs breathing and can send the body into shock.

Anaphylaxis can occur within minutes of exposure to peanuts and can cause symptoms like difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, a sudden drop in blood pressure, rapid pulse, dizziness, or loss of consciousness. Immediate treatment with epinephrine is crucial to manage this reaction.

The exact cause of peanut allergies isn’t fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. 

The study is published in the journal NEJM Evidence.

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