If you need one more reason to have a furry friend in the house, scientists suggest that a family pet can stop food allergies in children.
Japanese researchers found that children exposed to a pet at a younger age were 15 percent less likely to develop a food allergy. Just having the pet around a pregnant mother can reduce the likelihood of food allergy as the benefits start in the womb.
Those raised with dogs were less likely to be allergic to eggs, milk and nuts, while cats reduced a child’s risk of egg, wheat and soybean allergies.
With one in ten toddlers suffering from food allergies – and more and more doctors overwhelmed – scientists hope they have found a new way to combat the problems.
The findings come shortly after a landmark UK study found that introducing peanuts to children between the ages of four and six months can reduce the risk of developing an allergy to the nut by 80 per cent.
Researchers have found that having a dog in the home can reduce the likelihood of developing a food allergy by 15 percent
The lead author Dr. Hisao Okabe of Fukushima Medical University in Japan said: “Continued exposure of dogs and cats from fetal development through infancy is estimated to reduce the risk of food allergies.”
The results, published in the journal PLOS One, are based on an analysis of more than 65,000 babies from Japan who were followed up to the age of three.
Food allergy prevalence was assessed based on parent-reported physician diagnosis.
Dr. Okabe said, “The hygiene hypothesis suggests that exposure to pets is effective in preventing allergic disease, and some studies have reported beneficial effects of exposure to dogs during fetal development or early childhood on food allergies.
“This study aimed to investigate the effect of exposure to different types of pets on the risk of food allergies.”
A leading theory behind the increase in allergies is the “hygiene hypothesis”.
Living conditions in large parts of the world may be too clean. Germs train the immune system to distinguish between harmless and harmful irritants.
Britain has one of the highest rates in the world.
Scientists discover a way to drastically reduce the risk of children becoming allergic to peanuts
The number of peanut allergy sufferers has tripled in recent decades.
For example, while the incidence of hay fever and eczema has leveled off or decreased, hospitalizations for acute food reactions have increased significantly.
Exposure to pets can combat food allergies by strengthening the microbiome. Previous studies have shown that it increases good bacteria and makes children less susceptible.
Dr. Okabe said: “These results alleviate concerns about the development of allergic diseases caused by keeping dogs and cats.
“By reducing the incidence of food allergies, the number of infant deaths due to anaphylaxis will be significantly reduced.”
About 22 percent of the participants were exposed to pets, mostly dogs and cats, during the fetal period.
There was a significantly lower prevalence of food allergies in children exposed indoors, although there was no significant difference for children living in households with outdoor dogs.
Perhaps surprisingly, children exposed to hamsters, less than 1 percent of the total group, had significantly more nut allergies.
The data were self-reported—supplemented with medical record data collected during the first trimester of pregnancy, at delivery, and at one-month follow-up.
The researchers said the findings could help future research into the mechanisms behind food allergies in children.
Dr. Okabe said: “The prevalence of food allergies in children has increased in recent decades, reaching more than 10 percent in developed countries.
“Food allergy is a condition that affects the quality of life of patients and their families, generates significant medical costs, and is a major cause of anaphylaxis, which is sometimes fatal.
Therefore, prevention has the highest priority. The idea that early contact with pets or older siblings has an immunological benefit for human health stems from the hygiene hypothesis, first proposed in 1989 and subsequently supported by several epidemiological studies.
“It has been suggested that contact with pets is effective in preventing allergic diseases.
“However, in some developed countries, including Japan, families concerned about allergies continue to avoid pet ownership.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
