Eating Solid Foods Early Could Lower Peanut Allergy Risk
By: Becky Bracken
Published: May 5, 2011

If you have a history of food allergies in the family, soon your doctor might recommend starting your baby on solid foods or cows milk before the age of four months. A  new study found that babies started on solid foods earlier are more likely to develop anti-bodies to potential allergens, like peanut, milk and egg allergies.
But the results aren't so clear-cut. A Reuters Health article says the study proves association, but not cause and effect. More research is needed to confirm the findings. Researchers also don't understand why the study suggests early exposure to allergens helps boost antibodies against peanut allergies, but not egg or milk allergies.
Peanut allergies affect about one percent of children in the U.S. That number is on the rise, and no one is sure why, according to Reuters Health.
Photo by: EuroMagic