Diet of lactating women and allergic reactions in their... : Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care (original) (raw)
Paediatrics
Child Health Research Institute, and Department of Paediatrics, The University of Adelaide, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Correspondence to Dr Maria Makrides, BSc, BND, PhD, Leader, Nutrition Program, Child Health Research Institute, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, SA 5006, Australia Tel: +61 88161 6067; fax: +618 8161 8228; e-mail: [email protected]
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 9(3):p 284-288, May 2006. | DOI: 10.1097/01.mco.0000222113.46042.50
Abstract
Purpose of review
To evaluate whether the diet of lactating women modulates the development of allergic disease in their children.
Recent findings
Although maternal avoidance of common food protein allergens was previously recommended for lactating women with infants predisposed to allergic disease, recent expert reviews have concluded that there is no strong evidence to support this position. A recent well-controlled study, using egg as an allergen, confirmed that the appearance of food proteins in human milk is common, but this can be highly variable between women even after consuming the same challenge (dose) food. On the other hand, preliminary data suggest that increasing dietary _n_−3 fatty acids may offer protection from the development of some childhood allergies. A recent animal study offers mechanistic support, indicating that perinatal diets high in _n_−3 fatty acids can induce oral neonatal tolerance more effectively compared with diets predominating in _n_−6 fatty acids.
Summary
Current data do not support the use of maternal antigen-avoidance diets during lactation as a strategy to prevent childhood allergies. Controlled trials are required to evaluate the efficacy of maternal dietary _n_−3 fatty acid interventions in preventing allergic disease in at-risk infants.
© 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.