Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The introduction of solid foods with breast milk after 17 weeks has been shown to reduce the risks of child food allergies, according to research conducted at the University of Southampton in England.
Solid foods, given at the right time, could help infants develop better and stronger immunities to fight off such allergies. It is at this point that researchers believe the immune system is educated enough to tolerate the overlap of breast milk and solid foods.
The study recruited 1140 infants at birth and found that 41 of these went on to develop an allergy by the age of two. The diets of these infants was compared to the diet of 82 other infants who did not develop a food allergy by the time they were two.
Infants how developed these allergies were eating solid food earlier than those who didn't have allergies -- at age 16 weeks or earlier. Also these children were most likely not being breast fed when solid food was introduced.
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“Additionally, our findings suggest 17 weeks is a crucial time point, with solid food introduction before this time appearing to promote allergic disease whereas solid food introduction after that time point seems to promote tolerance,” said Dr. Kate Grimshaw, dietitian and senior research fellow at the university.
Researchers concluded that 17 weeks is the ideal time to start solid food for infant, without stopping breastfeeding. Their findings are published in the journal Pediatrics.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.
