Breastfeeding blamed for increase in nut allergies in Australian children

A new Australian study has claimed that children who are solely breastfed in the first six months of life are at greater risk of developing a nut allergy.

There has been a sharp rise in nut allergies in Australian children over the past 20 years, but until now the medical world has found it hard to explain the risk factors. Australian National University (ANU) researchers found it is not the breast milk itself that seems to be the culprit, but rather the traces of nuts contained in it.

The link between the two was investigated using the ACT Kindergarten Health Check Questionnaire in a study conducted by the ANU Medical School and the ACT Health Directorate. Of the 15,000 preschool children studied, 3.2 per cent had a peanut allergy while 3.9 per cent were allergic to other nuts.

Read the full story here: http://www.abc.net.au