Researchers from the United Kingdom and Israel have linked the
early consumption of peanuts with a
low prevalence of peanut allergy.
In a paper published in the November 2008 edition of the
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, researchers headed by George Du Toit from King’s College in London provide the results of two questionnaires assessing peanut allergy in Jewish schoolchildren from similar socio-economic groups in the United Kingdom and Israel.
The first questionnaire, the Food Allergy Questionnaire (FAQ), was distributed in schools in the UK and Israel. It determined the prevalence of peanut allergy among 5171 schoolchildren in the UK and 5615 in Israel. It found 73 UK children and eight Israelis met the FAQ definition of peanut allergy.
The prevalence of peanut allergy in the UK study group was 1.85 per cent in comparison with 0.17 per cent in Israel, even when adjusted for other factors.
The second questionnaire, the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), assessed peanut consumption patterns and weaning in Jewish infants aged 4-24 months - 77 in the United Kingdom and 99 in Israel.
Mothers and children were chosen from consecutive registrations at State-run public health clinics in Israel and GP clinics in the UK. The FFQ made a detailed determination of peanut, sesame and other solid-food consumption during the child's first year and the mother's consumption during pregnancy and lactation.
Results showed peanut products were introduced earlier and eaten more frequently and in larger quantities in Israel than in the United Kingdom. By the age of nine months, 69 per cent of Israeli infants were eating peanut products compared with only 10 per cent of UK infants.
The median monthly consumption of peanuts by Israeli infants in their first year was 7.1g of peanut proteins whereas in the UK it was nil. The median number of times peanuts were consumed per month was eight in Israel and zero in the UK.At the time of the study, guidelines recommended the avoidance of peanuts during pregnancy, lactation and infancy in the United Kingdom. The same guidelines currently prevail in Australia and until recently in North America.
The result of the study showed Jewish children in the United Kingdom had a prevalence of peanut allergy 10 times higher than that of Jewish children in Israel. The researchers concluded this difference was not accounted for by differences in social class or genetic background.
The only major difference was Israeli infants ate peanuts in higher quantities during the first year of life whereas UK infants avoided peanuts.
"These findings raise the question of whether early introduction of peanut during infancy rather than avoidance will prevent the development of peanut allergy," the report concluded.The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) has cautioned that although the results are promising, they shouldn't translate to changes in treatment yet.
"While this study's findings provide optimism for prevention of peanut allergy in the future, randomised, controlled trials are needed to verify that early introduction of peanut is indeed effective," said Dr Jacqueline Pongracic from the AAAAI Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee.
Download the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology article (320kb PDF)
