Children growing up with a dog or cat tend to have fewer food allergies than those who are not in contact with pets.
- Children who are exposed to dogs and cats during fetal development or early childhood are less likely to have food allergies.
- Little ones with a dog seem more protected against egg, milk and nut allergies. Those who have a cat are less likely to have reactions to eggs, wheat and soy.
- On the other hand, children in contact with hamsters are more at risk of having nut allergies.
Dogs and cats don’t just provide a comforting or amusing presence to children. They also seem good for their health.
A Japanese study, published in the scientific journal Plos Oneshows that younger children exposed to pets during fetal development or early childhood are less likely to develop food allergies while growing up.
Food allergies: the protective effect varies depending on the species
To identify the link between exposure to animals during pregnancy or early childhood and the reduction of food allergies, lead researcher Hisao Okabe and his team used data from the national Japan Environment and Children study. They analyzed the records of 66,215 children. 22% of them had been exposed to animals during the fetal period.
According to the analyses, children who grow up with dogs or cats seem to be less likely to have food allergies. Young dog owners are less likely to develop reactions to eggs, milk and nuts. Those who have a cat at home are significantly less likely to have egg, wheat and soy allergies.
On the other hand – surprisingly – toddlers who have hamsters (0.9% of the total group studied), have a higher risk of nut allergies.
A gateway to understanding the mechanisms of food allergies
The scientists believe that their work has shown that “The association between exposure to an animal during fetal development or infancy and the risk of incidence of food allergies up to three years of age differs depending on the combination of two factors: the species of the animal and the type of allergen”. They add that a “Continued contact with dogs and cats from fetal development through infancy reduces the risk of incidence of food allergies”.
For them, their discovery could help direct future research into the mechanisms behind childhood food allergies.
