New Evidence Shows Major Drop in Childhood Peanut Allergies Since 2015
Nearly a decade after a landmark study overturned decades of medical advice, new research confirms that introducing peanut products to infants early in life has prevented tens of thousands of severe food allergies.
According to a new study published Monday in Pediatrics, roughly 60,000 children have avoided developing peanut allergies since 2015, when the first public health guidance recommended feeding peanut products to babies as young as four months old. The findings mark one of the most successful public health shifts in modern pediatric care.
“That’s a remarkable thing,” said Dr. David Hill, an allergist and researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and lead author of the study. “We can actually say there are fewer children with food allergies today because of this initiative.”
Guidelines That Changed Medical Practice
The results trace back to the groundbreaking 2015 LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) trial, led by Dr. Gideon Lack of King’s College London. That study found that infants fed peanut products early in life were 80% less likely to develop peanut allergies later on, compared with those who avoided them. Later analysis showed the protection persisted in about 70% of children into adolescence.
For decades before, pediatricians had advised avoiding peanuts and other allergens until age 3. The 2015 LEAP findings upended that logic, leading to new guidance from the National Institutes of Health recommending early peanut introduction—especially for high-risk infants with eczema or egg allergies. Expanded guidelines in 2017 further encouraged introducing peanuts to all infants between 4 and 6 months.
Allergy Rates Drop Sharply Among Infants
Hill’s team analyzed electronic health records from pediatric practices nationwide, comparing allergy diagnoses before and after the new recommendations. They found a 27% decline in peanut allergies among children under 3 after the 2015 guidance and a 40% reduction after the 2017 expansion.
Although food allergies overall remain on the rise—affecting about 8% of U.S. children—this represents a significant reversal for one of the most dangerous allergens. Peanut allergies alone affect more than 2% of children and are a leading cause of severe, potentially life-threatening reactions.
Slow Adoption and Continued Education
Despite the progress, surveys show that only 29% of pediatricians and 65% of allergists consistently follow the 2017 guidelines. Early confusion about the safest way to introduce peanuts, combined with outdated parental fears, slowed adoption of the new approach.
The new study’s commentary, led by Dr. Ruchi Gupta of Northwestern University, acknowledged that data was limited to select pediatric practices but called the findings “promising evidence” that early allergen introduction is now making a measurable difference.
Advocates also celebrated the findings. “This research underscores a meaningful opportunity to reduce peanut allergy nationwide,” said Sung Poblete, CEO of the nonprofit Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE).
Updated Guidance and Practical Advice
Current guidance, updated in 2021, recommends introducing peanuts and other major food allergens—such as dairy, eggs, and soy—between four and six months of age, without the need for prior allergy screening. Parents are encouraged to consult their pediatricians but can safely start with small amounts of smooth peanut butter or peanut-based baby foods.
“It doesn’t have to be a lot,” Hill said. “Small tastes of peanut butter, yogurt, or nut butters are enough to help train the immune system in a safe way.”
For families like that of Tiffany Leon, a Maryland dietitian and mother of two, early introduction has become a routine part of infant feeding. “When I learned about the new evidence, I didn’t hesitate,” she said. “I just thought, ‘OK, this is what we’re going to do.’”