German Skin and Allergy Aid eV
Bonn (ots)
Many children and young people struggle with allergic diseases. Hay fever, neurodermatitis and asthma are particularly common. Surveys show that over 20 percent of all under-17s will develop at least one of these three conditions at some point*. Preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of contracting the disease.
Nutrition is the cornerstone of our health
It has long been known that certain environmental and lifestyle factors contribute to the development of allergies in children. There would be e.g. Examples include passive smoking and air pollutants that babies are exposed to. One of the most important pillars of our health is nutrition. It plays an important role in the healthy development of children and especially with regard to allergy prevention. Diet has a significant influence on the functionality of our immune system. And – this is also an important finding – the course for this is already set in the womb.
What the 1,000 days are all about
Various studies and long-term investigations indicate that the child’s organism is particularly shaped in the period from the fertilization of the egg cell to around the second year of life. In these 1,000 days or so, the conditions for healthy development are created. This means that the nutrition of the mother-to-be and early childhood nutrition are becoming the focus of allergy prevention.
Healthy eating right from the start
Pregnant women don’t really have to consider many new things when it comes to their diet. You should eat a balanced diet and eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products regularly. They expressly do not have to do without foods that are known to trigger allergies. For the baby, the ideal nutrition for the first four to six months is breast milk. Children who cannot be supplied with breast milk or cannot be supplied exclusively with breast milk should be given industrially produced infant formula and, if there is a risk of allergies, infant formula with proven effectiveness in allergy prevention studies. From the 5th month of life, when the child’s nutritional requirements increase, the introduction of complementary food can also be started in infants with an increased risk of allergies. It is advisable to replace individual milk meals with porridge meals every 4 weeks. It is not necessary to avoid potent food allergens for reasons of allergy prevention. From around the age of 10 months, the child can then gradually try the food of the other family members. With regard to food selection, the same recommendations apply to both small and large family members: Plenty of fruit, vegetables and fiber – fat, animal proteins and sweets, however, in moderation.
Informative guide
The brochure “Preventing allergies – promoting healthy development” contains specific tips on nutrition for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, newborns and small children. A timeline also provides an overview of the most important measures to prevent allergies. The brochure is available free of charge from the German Skin and Allergy Aid and can be downloaded from the Internet. Ordering address: German Skin and Allergy Aid Association, Heilsbachstraße 32, 53123 Bonn.
www.dha-allergien-vorbeugen.de
*Sources:
White Paper Allergy in Germany, Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH 2019, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-89935-313-6
Kopp MV et al. S3 guideline Allergy Prevention. Allergol Select. 2022 March 4; 6: 61-97. DOI 10.5414/ALX02303E
Press contact:
German Skin and Allergy Aid eV
c/o MedCom international medical & social communication GmbH
René Schickele Strasse 10
53123 Bonn
0228 / 308210
[email protected]
www.dha-allergien-vorbeugen.de
www.dha-allergien.de
Original content from: Deutsche Haut- und Allergiehilfe eV, transmitted by news aktuell
