Peanut Allergies in Children Have Dropped Significantly: Study

Doctors said for years that infants should avoid peanuts.

The authors estimated that for about every 200 infants exposed to food allergens early in life, one child could be prevented from developing a food allergy. AlexandrMusuc/Shutterstock

Allergies to peanuts and other foods dropped significantly after the introduction of new guidelines, according to a study published on Oct. 20.

Just 0.45 percent of young children from 2017 through 2019 had an allergy to peanuts, according to researchers with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s allergy and immunology division and other institutions. That was down from 0.79 percent from 2012 through 2014.