VIDEO: Barriers to introducing peanut into infant diets can be overcome

Key takeaways:

• Pediatricians may skip guidelines for peanut introduction during well child visits.
• Parents may be unaware of these guidelines.
• Clinician support tools, handouts and collaboration may improve awareness.

CHICAGO — Guidelines advise caregivers to introduce peanut into infant diets, but barriers prevent physicians and families from adhering to these recommendations, according to a presentation at the Global Food Allergy Prevention Summit.

“As researchers, we publish data. But how do we get that data to people who need it?” Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, director of the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research, told Healio.

Infants should begin eating foods that include peanut between age 4 and 6 months to prevent peanut allergy, but pediatricians have lots of ground to cover during well child visits at those ages and might overlook discussing these guidelines.

“Many parents don’t know that these guidelines are in effect,” Gupta said. “How do we make that happen?”

Information about early introduction of peanut into infant diets can be included in clinician support tools, Gupta said. Clinicians also can give handouts about early introduction to the families they serve. Gupta suggested collaboration with professional and parent groups to promote awareness of these guidelines as well. Policy matters too, she added.

“How do we make sure that this does not increase disparities in food allergy?” she asked. “How do we make sure everyone has access to those foods that we want them to start eating?”

Yet improvement is possible, Gupta said, despite multiple barriers.

“We have solutions,” she said, “and together, we can prevent food allergy moving forward.”