In a Food Standards Agency-funded study of more than 800 babies born on the Isle of Wight, over a third of the parents said their child was allergic or intolerant to one or more foods.
But after monitoring the children at six months and one, two and three years, the researchers found the actual number who proved allergic by the age of three was fewer than 60. By then, about three-quarters of those who were allergic or intolerant to milk had outgrown their reaction and half had outgrown their reaction to eggs.
The University of Portsmouth study also found the rate of food allergy is not rising, contrary to popular belief. It found levels of food hypersensitivity were no higher than those in the only other major study on the subject 20 years ago.
Dietician and researcher Dr Carina Venter said, 'People have become more aware of food allergies. Mums tend to put down every rash, tummy ache, diarrhoea and crying to food allergy or intolerance.'
Lindsey McManus, deputy information manager at Allergy UK, said, 'We would never recommend that parents eliminate foods from a child's diet without getting medical advice first.'
Further information:
http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com /pdfs/journals/0091-6749/PIIS0091674906001680.pdf.