Exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of eczema in some schoolchildren

SAN FRANCISCO – Children who were badfed exclusively during the first three months of life had a much lower risk of contracting eczema at the age of 6 compared to their peers who were not Breastfeeding or having been badfed for a shorter time, according to a preliminary study presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & 2019 Annual Meeting of Immunology & Immunology.

Eczema is a chronic condition characterized by extreme itching of the skin which, when scratched, becomes inflamed and covered with easily cracking blisters. While genes and the environment are involved in this inflammatory disease, many issues remain unresolved, such as the best way to prevent it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), badfed infants are less likely to develop many chronic diseases, including asthma and obesity.

"The evidence that exclusive badfeeding protects children from eczema development later in life remains mixed," said Katherine M. Balas, BS, BA, Clinical Research Assistant at the Children's & # 39; s National and senior author of the study. "Our research team is trying to help fill this data gap."

Balas and his colleagues used data collected as part of Study II, a longitudinal study conducted jointly by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 2005 to 2007, as well as by the review follow-up of this study carried out in 2012 by the agencies. cohort. This study first followed the diet of about 2,000 pregnant women starting in the third trimester and examined the feeding practices throughout the first year of their baby's life. Their follow-up survey focused on the health, development and eating habits of 1,520 children aged 6 years.

Eczema was diagnosed in about 300 children during their lifetime and 58.5% of 6-year-olds had eczema at the sixth year follow-up of the CDC / FDA. Children with high socio-economic status or family history of food allergies had a higher risk of being diagnosed with eczema.

"Children who were exclusively badfed for three months or longer were significantly less likely (adjusted odds ratio: 0.477) to have persistent eczema at age 6, compared to their peers. having never been badfed or having been badfed for less than three months, "adds Balas. "Exclusive badfeeding may not prevent children from getting eczema, but it can also protect them from prolonged breakouts.

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Presentation of the 2019 Annual Congress of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

* "Exclusive badfeeding during infancy and diagnosis of eczema at the age of 6 years."

Sunday, February 24, 2019, 9:45 am (PST)

Katherine M. Balas BS, BA, lead author; Karen A. Robbins M.D., co-author; Marni Jacobs, Ph.D., co-author; Ashley Ramos Ph.D., co-author; Daniel V. DiGiacomo, M.D., co-author; and Linda Herbert, Ph.D., director of the psychosocial clinical program of the Division of Allergy and Child Immunology and principal author.