In a pioneering study called Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP), Professor Gideon Lack of King’s College London has turned conventional wisdom on its head by suggesting that early exposure to peanuts may help prevent allergies in children.

“What our data shows is that because of, or at least associated with those early introduction guidelines, there’s about 60,000 less kids with food allergy today than there would have been. And that’s a remarkable thing, right? That’s the size of some cities,” he said.

Australian research shows ‘modest reduction’

“We had two population-based studies recruited in the same region, which was Melbourne, Australia,” she said.

“Even though we are certainly starting to see a reduction in the rates of peanut allergy in Australia, they are still quite high, and higher than in some other countries around the world, and higher than what was shown in this American study as well,” she said.

She said some research — including exploration of whether less sunlight and vitamin D exposure increases the likelihood of developing allergies — has offered promising evidence.