Food allergy prevention

Abstract

Food allergy is a common disease in child-and adulthood. Some studies suggest that in recent decades the prevalence of food allergy might have increased. Since there is no causal treatment, effective and safe prevention strategies are keenly sought. Guidelines for allergy prevention have long recommended delaying introduction of allergenic foods especially in high-risk infants during the first years of life. Due to a paucity of evidence, in 2008 most allergy societies worldwide have revised their guidelines regarding the avoidance of allergenic foods during early childhood. Ever since several observational and interventional studies have been performed with the aim to investigate whether the early oral exposure to food allergens will promote or prevent food allergy.