Early Introduction of Solid Foods into an Infant’s Diet

The EATS (Enquiry About Tolerance Study) was begun in 2009 in Wales and England and the data from that study continue to enforce the notion that early introduction (three months of age) of solid food into a child’s diet is helpful in reducing food allergies.

In this particular analysis, published September 28 2020 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the authors used data  regarding the early introduction of gluten into the child’s diet to prevent Celiac Disease.  Consistent with data from this and other sources about early introduction of highly allergenic foods into a small child’s diet, those who received large amounts of gluten (2.66gm/wk) vs those who received less (.4 gm/wk) were much less likely to have a diagnosis of Celiac disease when tested at age three. In fact, the control group, which consisted of those exclusively breast fed with minimal or no gluten, had a 1.4% incidence of Celiac Disease compared to 0% in the group that had early introduction of gluten.  

Similar results have been published for peanuts, eggs and milk intake. The recommendations to exclusively breast feed for the six months of age with no solids at all really need to be changed. It is now more than obvious that as a parent, you can go a long way to preventing food allergy in your kid by starting solids early, especially the highly allergenic foods such as cow’s milk, eggs, peanut (as peanut butter or similar product) and now wheat. I have been encouraging this for years since the first studies were published, and the data continues to support this in no uncertain terms. 

There is one caveat, however. If your child has eczema as an infant, it may be best to delay by some time this early introduction, hence for those kids you would want to discuss this with your pediatrician. Family history of food allergy can also play a role, so be sure to bring this up with your child’s doctor.  

Happy eating!