T07034: An investigation into trends of peanut allergy incidence in the last 15 years in England using sequential childhood cohorts
Tuesday 2 March 2004
This project aims to establish whether the issuing of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) advice has resulted in a change in the incidence of peanut allergy.
Background
In the light of Department of Health's 1998 COT report on peanut allergy, there is a need to establish whether the advice for atopic mothers to avoid peanuts during pregnancy and lactation has had any affect on the incidence of peanut allergy. In addition, there is a requirement to establish what impact, if any, this advice has had on the maternal consumption of peanut during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Research Approach
The group intends to address these issues by conducting a prospective birth cohort study with children born after the COT report was published and investigate prospectively (to minimise recall bias) maternal diet during pregnancy and rates of allergy and sensitisation to peanuts. Three sequential whole population cohorts will be used to establish the study objectives.