The Timing of Infant Food Introduction in Families With a History of Atopy

OBJECTIVE: To describe the timing of introduction and type of food introduced to infants with a family history of atopy. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of foods introduced each month to an interventional birth cohort of 149 infants at risk for atopy. RESULTS: Seven percent of infants received solid food prior to 4 months of age; 13% after 6 months of age. Hyperallergenic foods were introduced on average in the following order: wheat (8.7 months); eggs (11.2 months); soy (13.0 months); fish (13.4 months); peanut (20.2 months); tree nuts (21.8 months); and other seafood (21.8 months). Asian race (odds ratio 3.94; 95% CI 1.14-13.58) and maternal history of food allergy (odds ratio 3.86; 95% CI 1.29-11.56) were associated with late food introduction. CONCLUSION: Variation in timing of food introduction may reflect cultural preferences and/or previous experience with food allergy, as well as the ambiguous state of current recommendations.