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The Generation R Study, undertaken in the Netherlands and published in Archives of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, followed almost 7000 infants up to four years of age assessing incidence of eczema and wheezing.  The results showed that the introduction of milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and gluten before six months of age were not significantly associated with eczema or wheezing at any age.

Current advice from the Department of Health recommends that parents should avoid giving allergenic foods to infants until after six months of age. However, emerging evidence, including this recent study from the Netherlands, suggests that avoiding allergens may not be protective against allergy, and that early introduction of allergens may actually be protective.

Two studies are currently underway in the UK (the EAT and LEAP studies), to investigate whether the early introduction of allergenic foods to infants may be protective against rather than detrimental for later development of allergic symptoms.  

Approximately 6% of children develop food allergies in the UK.  The ongoing work in this area will continue to build our understanding of food allergy and intolerance and help to reduce the risk of infants suffering such conditions in the future.

The research report can be downloaded here Generation R Study - Arch of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine

Further information on the EAT and LEAP Studies can be found here:

EAT Study

LEAP Study