Overview
- A JAMA Pediatrics meta-analysis of 190 studies covering 2.8 million children estimates that about 5% develop a confirmed food allergy by age six.
- Infant eczema triples to quadruples the odds of food allergy, with additional risk from early-life wheeze or rhinitis and a family history of allergic disease.
- Introducing peanuts after 12 months more than doubles peanut allergy risk, and evidence supports early, regular exposure to common allergens such as peanut, egg, and fish.
- Antibiotic use in the first month of life is linked to higher food allergy risk, with researchers noting a possible microbiome role that remains unproven and emphasizing the necessity of antibiotics for serious infections.
- Several factors showed no clear association with food allergy, including low birth weight, post-term birth, partial breastfeeding, maternal diet, and pregnancy stress, and the authors urge more diverse studies with food‑challenge testing to refine guidance.