PrEggNut

Food allergies affect more than 1 in every 10 children, with babies found to be at riskof developing a food allergy before they start solid foods. 

There remains uncertainty about whether common food allergens, such as eggs and peanuts, should be specifically encouraged to be regularly included in the maternal diet. In developed regions where allergy risk is high in the general population, this information is important and relevant to inform every pregnant woman.

We have discovered that baby immune responses can be improved by mothers eating more eggs during the first weeks of breastfeeding.

The PrEggNut team are are undertaking this research trial to determine whether mothers regularly eating more eggs and peanuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding will reduce food allergies in their babies.

The intervention trial consisted of two groups: 

1. The high egg and peanut diet group: Regular maternal consumption of at least 6 eggs and 60 peanuts per week from 22 weeks gestation until 4 months postnatal infant age.
2. The standard egg and peanut diet group: Maternal consumption of no more than 3 eggs and 30 peanuts per week from 22 weeks gestation until 4 months postnatal infant age.

The PrEggNut team recruited almost 200 mothers and their babies from ORIGINS, alongside another more than 1,900 mother-baby dyads across Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. 

Investigators: 

• Associate Professor Debbie Palmer, The Kids Research Institute Australia
• Professor Susan Prescott, Honorary Research Fellow, The Kids Research Institute Australia