title: Introduction of complementary foods and the relationship to food allergy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To address questions regarding breastfeeding, complementary feeding, allergy development, and current infant-feeding recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a nested, case-control within a cohort study in which mothers of 41 infants diagnosed with food allergy by the age of 2 years (according to double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge) and their 82 age-matched controls kept prospective food diaries of how their infants were fed in the first year of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infants who were diagnosed with food allergy by the time they were 2 years of age were introduced to solids earlier (≤16 weeks of age) and were less likely to be receiving breast milk when cow's milk protein was first introduced into their diet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the current American Academy of Pediatrics' allergy prevention recommendations and the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition recommendations on complementary feeding to not introduce solids before 4 to 6 months of age. It also supports the American Academy of Pediatrics' breastfeeding recommendations that breastfeeding should continue while solids are introduced into the diet and that breastfeeding should continue for 1 year, or longer, as mutually desired by mother and infant.
authors.affiliation: RD, Clinical and Experimental Sciences Academic Unit, Mailpoint 803, Level F, South Academic Block, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Rd, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK. kecg@soton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Kate E C
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Grimshaw
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maskell
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Ruth C G
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Foote
authors.forename: E N Clare
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Barrie M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Margetts
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000379:methods*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014886:Weaning
keywords: breastfeeding; food allergy; infant feeding; prevention