The petswhether dogs or cats, at home are associated with fewer food allergies among children up to three years old, even when exposed to these animals before birth.
This is indicated by a study carried out in Japan published today by Plos One in which a cause-effect relationship is not established, but rather an association between the two factors.
The team used data from the Japanese Childhood and Environment Study involving 66,215 children, which included information on exposure to pets and food allergies, among others.
In some high-income countries, more than one in 10 children is diagnosed with food allergies, and the incidence continues to rise, the study notes.
The study indicates that about a 22% of children were exposed to pets, especially dogs and cats indoors during the fetal period.
Among children with indoor contact with dogs and cats there was a “significant reduction” of the incidence of food allergies, although no significant differences were seen with minors from homes with dogs outside.
Data indicates that children exposed to dogs indoors “they had significantly fewer chances” of experiencing specific allergies to eggs, milk, and tree nuts.
Those who had contact with cats were “significantly less likely” suffering from allergies to eggs, wheat and soy.
However and in a way “amazing”in the case of hamsters (0.9% of the total group studied) there was a significantly lower incidence of allergies to nuts.
The authors point out some limitations of the study, such as the fact that the data is not based on allergy tests or other analyzes carried out by them, but rather based on those given by the participants supplemented with clinical histories.
Additionally, this study cannot determine whether the relationship between pet exposure and incidence of food allergies is cause-and-effect.
Still, the authors suggest that these results may help guide future research into the mechanisms underlying childhood food allergies.
Source: EFE
Source: Gestion
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