Egg Allergy Rates Fall Significantly After Australia’s Early Introduction Push

A major shift in Australian infant feeding guidelines appears to be paying dividends in the fight against childhood food allergies. According to a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics, introducing eggs during a child’s first year of life was associated with a significant reduction in egg allergy rates among Australian infants. The findings provide the first population-level evidence that updated feeding recommendations can help reduce the prevalence of a common food allergy.

The research, led by The University of Queensland (UQ) and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, analyzed data from 7,209 infants participating in two Australian population-based studies. Investigators compared egg allergy rates before and after the introduction of revised infant feeding guidelines in 2016, which encouraged parents to introduce allergenic foods such as eggs during the first year of life.

Australia has historically experienced some of the highest food allergy rates in the world. Associate Professor Jennifer Koplin of UQ’s Child Health Research Centre noted that egg allergy remains one of the most common food allergies among young children. “Australia has one of the highest rates of food allergy in the world, with one in 10 infants allergic to one or more foods,” Dr Koplin said.

The study found that egg allergy prevalence among 1-year-old infants fell from 9.2% before the guideline change to 7.6% afterward. This represents an absolute decline of 1.6 percentage points, or approximately a 17% relative reduction. According to Koplin, the findings offer reassurance that the updated recommendations are helping reduce the likelihood of children developing egg allergies.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study to show a reduction in egg allergy after the introduction of new infant feeding guidelines at a population level,” Koplin said. “Most parents followed the guidelines, and these results provide reassurance that this advice will help reduce the chance of their child developing an egg allergy.”

The benefits were even more pronounced among infants with eczema, a well-established risk factor for food allergies. In this group, egg allergy prevalence declined from 34.6% to 21.9%, suggesting that early introduction may be particularly beneficial for children at elevated risk.

The 2016 recommendations marked a dramatic departure from guidance commonly given during the 1990s and early 2000s. At that time, parents with a strong family history of allergies were often advised to delay introducing eggs and other allergenic foods until children were between one and three years old.

Associate Professor Rachel Peters of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute explained that current recommendations from the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy are based on a growing body of evidence supporting early exposure. “Current advice from the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, based on the latest available evidence, is to introduce well-cooked egg and smooth peanut butter soon after a baby starts eating solid foods, usually around 6 months of age,” Peters said.

Researchers caution that the findings do not mean food allergies have been eliminated. Egg allergy remains common, and some children still develop allergies despite following current feeding recommendations. “Further research is underway and needed to find other prevention strategies,” Dr Koplin said. “But we hope these findings provide reassurance to parents to continue following the current recommendations.”