Study Links Updated Infant Feeding Guidelines to Drop in Egg Allergy

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics has found an association between updated infant feeding guidelines in Australia and a decrease in the prevalence of egg allergy. The research indicates that following a 2016 recommendation to introduce eggs by six months of age, rates of egg allergy declined.

Key Findings

The prevalence of egg allergy among infants decreased from 9.2% to 7.6%, a relative reduction of more than 17%, after the guideline change.

• The percentage of infants introduced to eggs by six months of age increased from approximately 25% before the guideline change to approximately 57% after.
• Among infants diagnosed with eczema—a known risk factor for food allergies—rates of egg allergy dropped dramatically from 35% to 22% (sources report a range of 34.6% to 21.9%, respectively).

Methodology

The study analyzed data from approximately 7,200 infants aged 11-15 months in Melbourne, Australia. Researchers compared two distinct groups of infants:

• Cohort 1: 2007–2011 (before the guideline change)
• Cohort 2: 2018–2019 (after the guideline change)

Diagnoses were confirmed using skin prick tests and food challenges.

Background on Guidelines

Earlier Advice

Guidelines from the 1990s and early 2000s—including those from the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000—recommended delaying the introduction of allergenic foods like eggs until 1–3 years of age for high-risk infants.

Current Advice

The 2016 guidelines from the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) advise introducing well-cooked egg and smooth peanut butter soon after an infant starts solid foods, typically around six months. Other common allergens—such as cow milk, fish, sesame, wheat, and tree nuts—are also recommended for introduction before the age of one.

Further ASCIA updates in 2026 continue to recommend introducing eggs and peanuts when a child is ready for solids, around 5-6 months, with weekly consumption.

Statements from Researchers

Associate Professor Jennifer Koplin (University of Queensland) stated that this is the first study to show a reduction in egg allergy at a population level following the introduction of new infant feeding guidelines. She noted that the results provide reassurance that the advice helps reduce the chance of developing egg allergy, but added that further research is needed as egg allergy remains common.

Associate Professor Rachel Peters (Murdoch Children's Research Institute) noted that the reduction in egg allergy was more pronounced in infants with eczema.

Context and Implications

• The study is described by its authors as the first to demonstrate a population-level reduction in egg allergy following a change in infant feeding guidelines.
• The findings are consistent with trends observed for peanut allergy following similar early-introduction recommendations.
• Despite the decline, the authors note that egg allergy remains a common condition, and research into other prevention strategies is ongoing.
• In the United States, approximately 15.5% of infants were introduced to eggs before seven months of age in 2021, compared to 57% in the post-guideline Australian group.
• Australia has one of the highest rates of food allergy globally, with 1 in 10 infants allergic to one or more foods.

"This is the first study to show a reduction in egg allergy at a population level following the introduction of new infant feeding guidelines."
— Associate Professor Jennifer Koplin