Maternal and Infant Dietary Patterns Are Not Related to Food Allergy Risk in Singapore Children: GUSTO Cohort Study

Maternal and Infant Dietary Patterns Are Not Related to Food Allergy Risk in Singapore Children: GUSTO Cohort Study

The Journal of Nutrition

10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.002

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.002

Noor Hidayatul Aini Suaini, Qi Yi Koh, Jia Ying Toh, Victoria X Soriano, Marjorelee Tabaldo Colega, Carmen Riggioni, Mohammad Shaheryar Furqan, Wei Wei Pang, Evelyn Xiu Ling Loo, Hugo P Van Bever, Pei-Chi Lynette Shek, Anne Eng Neo Goh, Oon Hoe Teoh, Kok Hian Tan, Bee Wah Lee, Keith M Godfrey, Mary Foong-Fong Chong, Elizabeth Huiwen Tham

11 May 2024

Suaini, N. H. A., Koh, Q. Y., Toh, J. Y., Soriano, V. X., Colega, M. T., Riggioni, C., Furqan, M. S., Pang, W. W., Loo, E. X. L., Van Bever, H. P., Shek, P.-C. L., Goh, A. E. N., Teoh, O. H., Tan, K. H., Lee, B. W., Godfrey, K. M., Chong, M. F.-F., & Tham, E. H. (2024). Maternal and Infant Dietary Patterns Are Not Related to Food Allergy Risk in Singapore Children: GUSTO Cohort Study. The Journal of Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.002

Background We previously reported that delayed allergenic food introduction in infancy did not increase food allergy risk until age 4 years within our prospective cohort. However, it remains unclear whether other aspects of maternal or infant diet play roles in the development of childhood food allergy. Objective Here we examined the relationship between maternal pregnancy and infant dietary patterns and the development of food allergies until age 8 years. Methods Among 1152 Singapore GUSTO study mother-infant dyads, the infant’s diet was ascertained using food frequency questionnaires at 18 months (M). Maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy were derived from 24-hour diet recalls. Food allergy was determined through interviewer-administered questionnaires at regular time points from infancy to age 8 years (Y) and defined as a positive history of allergic reactions, alongside skin prick tests at M18, Y3, Y5 and Y8. Results Food allergy prevalence was 2.5% (22/883) at 12 months and generally decreased over time by 8 years (1.9%; 14/736). Higher maternal dietary quality was associated with increased risk of food allergy (p≤0.016), however, odds ratios were modest. Offspring food allergy risk up until 8 years showed no associations with measures of infant diet including timing of solids/food introduction [aOR 0.90 (0.42-1.92)], infant’s diet quality [aOR 0.93 (0.88-0.99)] or diet diversity [aOR 0.84 (0.6-1.19)]. Most infants (89%) were first introduced to cow’s milk protein within the first month of life, while egg and peanut introduction were delayed (58.3% introduced by mean age 8.8 months and 59.8% by mean age 18.1 months, respectively). Conclusions Apart from maternal diet quality showing a modest association, infant’s allergenic food introduction, diet quality and dietary diversity were not associated with food allergy development in this Asian paediatric population. Interventional studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of these approaches to food allergy prevention across different populations.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

This research / project is supported by the National Medical Research Council - Open Fund-Large Collaborative Grant
Grant Reference no. : OF-LCG; MOH-000504

This research / project is supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) - Human Potential Programme
Grant Reference no. : N.A

This research / project is supported by the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) - Clinician Scientist Award
Grant Reference no. : MOH-001415

This research / project is supported by the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) - Transition Award
Grant Reference no. : MOH-TA18nov-003

Supported by the UK Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12011/4), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR Senior Investigator (NF-SI-0515-10042) and the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre) and by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme (ImpENSA 598488-EPP-1-2018-1-DE-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP).

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/19952

0022-3166

Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences