A study by researchers at Japan’s Fukushima Medical University suggests that having dogs and cats may lower the risk of children developing food allergies. Hamsters, however, seem to be an exception.
The conclusion is the result of analyzing data from 66,215 young children in Japan. About 22% of them were exposed to pets through their mothers in utero. Pets ranged from dogs, cats, hamsters, turtles and birds.
“The hypothesis suggests that exposure to pets is effective in preventing allergic disease, and some studies have reported beneficial effects of exposure to dogs during fetal or early childhood development for food allergies,” the authors wrote in the article published in scientific journal Plos One.
Conclusions
Children exposed to indoor dogs and cats were significantly less likely to have allergies, according to the results. This included allergies to eggs, milk and nuts when the children were used to dogs, and to eggs, wheat and soy when they were around cats.
Children who had hamsters, however, were at significantly more risk of developing a nut allergy.
“Our findings suggest that exposure to dogs and cats may be beneficial against the development of certain food allergies, thereby alleviating concerns about pet keeping and reducing the burden of food allergies,” the researchers wrote.
Hypothesis
The researchers believe that contact with pets may change the mix of gut microbes in children or something that pets expel may boost immunity.
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