Traces of nuts in a child's diet can prevent an allergy later in life

• Less than one per cent developed allergies as adults after eating nuts
• Seventeen per cent whose diet was peanut free became allergic later
• The study was carried out among babies under the age of one
• They ate foods with traces of peanuts three times a week as infants

By Jenny Hope Medical Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published: 16:54 EST, 23 February 2015 | Updated: 13:12 EST, 24 February 2015

Most children at risk of developing peanut allergy can avoid it by eating food with traces of the nuts, researchers said yesterday.

Their study found that children who eat food containing peanuts three or more times a week from under the age of one rarely have reactions in later life.

Less than 1 per cent developed an allergy, compared with more than 17 per cent of youngsters whose diet was peanut-free.

It is the first major study to show that eating the nuts could reverse the huge rise in peanut allergy – the number of cases in children has doubled in 20 years.

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A study found babies who were introduced to peanuts under the age of one did not develop allergies to the nut later in life as often as those who did not eat it as infants

The condition commonly causes breathing problems.

Those affected most severely can have a life-threatening anaphylactic shock even when exposed only to a trace of peanuts in food.

Until recently, parents were told to avoid exposing their children to peanuts until they were three – advice that has now been withdrawn.

Parents are also warned never to give young children whole peanuts because of the danger of choking.

Professor Gideon Lack, of King’s College London, who led the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study, said it strongly backed up the importance of early exposure.

‘This is an important clinical development and contravenes previous guidelines,’ he added.

‘While these were withdrawn in 2008 in the UK and US, our study suggests that new guidelines may be needed to reduce the rate of peanut allergy in our children.’

The LEAP study involved 640 patients aged four to 11 months.

They were considered at high risk of developing peanut allergy due to pre-existing severe eczema and/or egg allergy.

Half the children were asked to eat peanut-containing foods three or more times a week and the other half had to avoid them until the age of five.

The families completed a food questionnaire at regular intervals and peanut levels in the child’s home were measured.

Remarkably, less than 1 per cent of peanut-eating children who completed the study became allergic by the age of five.

In the avoidance group, 17.3 per cent developed peanut allergy, say the results published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

When all the children enrolled in the study – including those who developed reactions – were considered the rate of allergy in peanut-eaters was 3.2 per cent versus 17.2 per cent in the avoidance group.

This means consumption can reduce the rate of peanut allergy by as much as 80 per cent.

The early introduction of peanut-containing foods was found to be safe because infants were not fed whole nuts. Instead they ate at least 6g a week of a peanut snack called Bamba, distributed in three or more meals.

Less than one per cent of babies who ate peanuts in the study developed problems later. Seventeen per cent who did not eat it however became allergic (file image)

Professor Lack, who leads the children’s allergy service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital trust, presented the findings at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology meeting in Houston yesterday.

He said the study excluded babies who had shown early strong signs of peanut allergy and added that parents of allergy-prone children should be cautious.

‘Parents of infants and young children with eczema and/or egg allergy should consult with an allergist, paediatrician, or their GP prior to feeding them peanut products,’ he insisted.

Co-investigator George Du Toit said the study will monitor the children to see if the protection remains even when they stop eating nuts for a year.

Maureen Jenkins of Allergy UK said: ‘This excellent clinical evidence from the LEAP study has demonstrated that babies with eczema and/or egg allergy, who are more likely to develop peanut allergy, are less likely to do so when they are given small amounts of peanut protein from early life.’