Peanut Allergies Finally Show Signs of Decline After Years of Steady Rise

After decades of rising peanut allergy rates among children, new data shows that those numbers may finally be going down. Health experts believe the change may be linked to updated guidelines that now encourage parents to introduce peanuts and other allergenic foods earlier in a child’s life — a major shift from advice given in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Peanut allergies are one of the most common causes of severe allergic reactions in children. These reactions can be life-threatening and often require emergency treatment. For years, the number of kids with peanut allergies steadily climbed. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), just 0.4% of children had peanut allergies in 1997. By 2018, that number had jumped to more than 2%.

Experts now believe that earlier medical advice may have played a role in that increase. In 2000, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that parents wait until age three before giving children peanuts. Some doctors even suggested waiting until age five. These recommendations were meant to protect children, but they may have had the opposite effect.

Everything changed in 2015 when a groundbreaking study called the LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) study was published. The research, led by Dr. Gideon Lack and published in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that giving peanut-containing foods to high-risk infants as early as four to six months of age actually reduced the risk of developing a peanut allergy by up to 81%.

Following this discovery, the AAP changed its recommendations. Today, it advises that infants should be introduced to peanut products and other common allergens at around six months old, depending on their readiness and any risk factors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now lists cow’s milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame as potentially allergenic foods that should not be delayed.

Dr. Ruchi Gupta, a pediatrician and food allergy researcher at Northwestern University, called the shift “a game changer.” In an interview with CBS News, she said, “We’re finally seeing progress in preventing peanut allergies, and that’s due to parents, pediatricians, and public health experts embracing the science and changing their practices.”

So far, it seems those changes are paying off. Although complete national data from the past few years is still being gathered, smaller studies and surveys show that fewer new peanut allergies are being reported, especially among young children. Some pediatricians have also observed fewer severe allergic reactions in babies and toddlers who were given peanuts early.

Even with this progress, health experts warn that families should not introduce peanuts or other allergens to babies without guidance. For some infants — especially those with eczema or existing food allergies — testing and a doctor’s supervision may be needed.

Still, for many families, this new approach offers hope. The rise in peanut allergies over the last two decades led to stricter school rules, widespread fear, and everyday challenges for millions of children and their parents. Now, with better science and improved recommendations, fewer children may have to face those same difficulties.

“Parents should talk with their child’s doctor and feel empowered to introduce these foods early,” Dr. Gupta added. “We have tools now that we didn’t have before — and we’re seeing real results.”