title: Cohort Profile: The HealthNuts Study: Population prevalence and environmental/genetic predictors of food allergy.
abstract: HealthNuts is a single-centre, multi-wave, population-based longitudinal study designed to assess prevalence, determinants, natural history and burden of allergy (particularly food allergy) in the early years of life. It is novel in the use of serial food challenge measures within its population frame to confirm food allergy. The cohort comprises 5276 children initially recruited at age 12 months from council-run immunization sessions across Melbourne, Australia. As well as parent-completed questionnaires and researcher-observed eczema status, all infants underwent skin-prick testing to egg, peanut, sesame and either cow's milk or shellfish, and those with detectable wheals underwent food challenges to determine clinical allergy. In wave 2, conducted at age 4 years, validated questionnaires collected data on asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), eczema and food allergies. Food challenges were repeated in children previously identified as food allergic to determine resolution. In wave 3, all children (irrespective of food allergy status) were invited for clinical assessment at age 6 years, including lung function, physical measurements, skin-prick testing to foods and aeroallergens and food challenges if food sensitized. Biological specimens (blood, cheek swabs) were collected at each wave for ancillary immunological, genetic and epigenetic studies. Applications to access data and/or samples can be submitted to [katrina.allen@mcri.edu.au].
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia and.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Koplin
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wake
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia and.
authors.forename: Shyamali C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Dharmage
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia and.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matheson
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Mimi L K
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia and.
authors.forename: Lyle C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gurrin
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Telethon Kids Institute, School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prescott
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne-Louise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ponsonby
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia, School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia and.
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital and University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia, katie.allen@rch.org.au.
authors.forename: Katrina J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004485:Eczema / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D016207:Cytokines