In a world-first study conducted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, it has been revealed that having a food allergy during infancy is linked to asthma and impaired lung function in later childhood.
The research, published in the Lancet Child & Adolescent Health and spearheaded by Murdoch Children’s Associate Professor Rachel Peters, demonstrated that early-life food allergies were associated with an elevated risk of developing asthma and experiencing reduced lung growth by the age of six.
This groundbreaking Melbourne-based study involved 5276 infants from the HealthNuts study, who underwent comprehensive testing, including skin prick tests for common food allergens like peanut and egg, as well as oral food challenges to confirm food allergies. Subsequent follow-ups at six years of age involved additional food allergy and lung function tests for the children.
The study, conducted over six years, revealed that 13.7 per cent of children reported being diagnosed with asthma by the age of six. The findings showed that infants with a food allergy had a nearly fourfold increased risk of developing asthma at the age of six, compared to children without a food allergy.
The impact of food allergies on asthma risk was most significant in children whose food allergy persisted to age six, as opposed to those who had outgrown their allergy. Additionally, children with a food allergy were more likely to experience reduced lung function.
Associate Professor Peters highlighted that food allergy during infancy, regardless of whether it resolved or not, was associated with poorer respiratory outcomes in children. “This association is concerning given reduced lung growth in childhood is associated with health problems in adulthood including respiratory and heart conditions,” she said.
“Lung development is related to a child’s height and weight and children with a food allergy can be shorter and lighter compared to their peers without an allergy. This could explain the link between food allergy and lung function. There are also similar immune responses involved in the development of both food allergy and asthma.”
“The growth of infants with food allergy should be monitored. We encourage children who are avoiding foods because of their allergy to be under the care of a dietician so that nutrition can be catered for to ensure healthy growth.”
Source: EasternEye