JAMA Medical News Are Peanut Allergies Finally on the Decline?
Nov 7, 2025
Samantha Anderer, a staff writer for JAMA Medical News, shares insights from a recent Pediatrics study indicating a decline in childhood peanut allergies. She explores how allergy rates surged in the early 2000s and have begun to drop following updated early peanut introduction guidelines. Their discussion touches on previous feeding recommendations and highlights the significant 33% decrease in allergies since 2015. They also delve into potential reasons for the previous rise in allergies, such as the hygiene hypothesis, making for a fascinating conversation on evolving dietary practices.
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Peanut Allergy Rates Are Falling
- Peanut allergies doubled from 1997 to 2008 and later peaked near 2% of children by 2018.
- The new Pediatrics study found a 33% decline in peanut allergies after 2015, suggesting shifting trends.
Early Peanut Introduction Is Protective
- Early, sustained introduction of peanuts around 6 months reduces risk of peanut allergy per the LEAP trial.
- 2015 guideline changes recommending proactive early peanut introduction likely contributed to the decline.
Introduce Peanuts Around Six Months
- Introduce age-appropriate peanut-containing foods to infants around 6 months, following current guidance informed by LEAP.
- Early, proactive exposure appears to reduce peanut allergy risk in real-world data after 2015.