Early Egg Introduction Does Not Lower Allergy Risk
-
Regular egg consumption starting at 4 to 6 months of age does not change the risk for egg allergy at 1 year of age or older, compared with delayed introduction of eggs, the authors of a new study report. However, some of the findings, which come from the Starting Time of Egg Protein (STEP) randomized, double-blind trial, do hint at a possible benefit of early egg introduction, they point out.
-
@ayra Children were enrolled in STEP between the ages of 4 and 6.5 months. Their mothers had atopy, but the children themselves had no eczema or allergic illness and no previous consumption of egg. They were randomly assigned to receive an intervention (egg) or control (no egg) powder that was mixed into their food. The two preparations were similar in color, smell, texture, and taste and were administered once a day from the time of randomization until the children were 10 months of age. At 10 months of age, parents introduced cooked egg into the diets of all children in both trial groups.