Diet Quality throughout Early Life in Relation to Allergic Sensitization and Atopic Diseases in Childhood

Abstract

Early-life nutrition is an important modifiable determinant in the development of a child’s immune system, and may thereby influence the risk of allergic sensitization and atopic diseases. However, associations between overall dietary patterns and atopic diseases in childhood remain unclear. We examined associations of diet quality in early life with allergic sensitization, self-reported physician-diagnosed inhalant and food allergies, eczema, and asthma among 5225 children participating in a population-based cohort in the Netherlands. Diet was assessed during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood using validated food-frequency questionnaires. We calculated food-based diet quality scores (0–10 or 0–15), reflecting adherence to dietary guidelines. At age 10 years, allergic sensitization was assessed with skin prick tests. Information on physician-diagnosed inhalant and food allergies, eczema, and asthma was obtained with questionnaires. We observed no associations between diet quality during pregnancy and allergic sensitization (odds ratio (OR) = 1.05 per point in the diet score, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99, 1.13), allergies (0.96, 95% CI: 0.88, 1.04), eczema (0.99, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.06), or asthma (0.93, 95% CI: 0.85, 1.03) in childhood. Also, diet quality in infancy or childhood were not associated with atopic outcomes in childhood. Our findings do not support our hypothesis that a healthy dietary pattern in early life is associated with a lower risk of allergic sensitization or atopic diseases in childhood.

Associations of Th2, Th17, Treg cells, and IgA+ memory B cells with atopic disease in children: The Generation R Study

“…A positive skin test was defined as an area ≥40% of the histamine response . Information on physician‐diagnosed allergy was obtained from questions adapted from the International Study on Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) …”

“…Physician‐diagnosed atopic dermatitis ever was diagnosed from parental‐reported questionnaires obtained at the child's age of 10 years (‘Was your child ever diagnosed by a physician with atopic dermatitis’, ‘yes; no’) …”

“…We included house dust mite, 5-grass mixture, birch, cat, and dog (ALK-Abelló B.V., Almere, the Netherlands) as inhalant allergens and hazelnut, cashew nut, peanut, and peach as food allergens (homemade food allergen extracts). 20 A positive skin test was defined as an area ≥40% of the histamine response. 19 Information on physician-diagnosed allergy was obtained from questions adapted from the International Study on Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC).…”

“…Information on maternal age, prepregnancy body mass index, smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding during the first 4 months, family history of atopy and asthma, and net household income was derived from parental questionnaires. 19,20,23 Child's sex and birthweight were obtained from midwife and hospital registries. 28 Child's weight and height were measured at the research center, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated.…”

“…Information on child's ethnicity and number of children in household was obtained from parental questionnaires. 19,20,23,28…”