We already know that a focus on diet diversity – in other words, introducing a variety of nutritious foods and different food groups – early in life can lead to numerous long-term benefits for little ones, including developing a wider flavor palate, embracing more adventurous eating, and supporting key development and growth. After all, who *doesn’t* want to avoid the dreaded “picky eating” stage of toddlerhood and childhood…does the idea of going to a restaurant and NOT having to order a cheese quesadilla or chicken nuggets sound appealing to anyone else?!

We’re excited to recap new related research, which shows another huge benefit of diet diversity that experts had already suspected: fewer food allergies! The study, published in the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, found that a diverse diet that introduced 13 or 14 foods to 9-month-old babies was associated with a 45% lower risk of food allergy, compared with the introduction of fewer foods at that age. Here are some of the key stats and findings:

Key Study Takeaways 

• Data was used from 2,060 infants and their families in the NorthPop Birth Cohort Study, a population-based study in Northern Sweden that seeks to identify factors influencing allergies and asthma.

• Diet diversity was measured by the frequency of the infants’ consumption of 14 foods at 6 and 9 months, as well as how often the infants consumed six allergenic foods (wheat, egg, fish, dairy, nuts and peanuts, and soy).

• Infants with the most diverse diet had a 61% lower risk of having a food allergy by 18 months than those with the least diverse diet. 

• Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that children with a high diet diversity score at 9 months were at less risk for food allergy at 18 months, especially if they had a history of eczema or no family history of food allergy.

A Growing Body of Research Supports Early Allergen Introduction

This new study adds to the growing body of research supporting the early introduction of common allergens and a variety of foods, starting in infancy. The first such study, was the landmark 2015 Learning Early About Peanut Allergy or LEAP Study – which was led by leading pediatric allergist and Mission MightyMe co-founder Dr. Gideon Lack. The LEAP Study found that when babies regularly eat peanut-containing foods starting early in the first year of life through toddlerhood (age 5), it can reduce their risk of developing peanut allergies by up to 86%. This discovery changed feeding guidelines around the world accordingly.

We can also assume that, as one of the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Study authors explained, “repeated exposure to foods in infancy is important both for tolerance development and maintenance.”

The key takeaway: the more foods and allergens you can introduce early AND consistently during the first months of life (once babies are ready to start solids), the better!

If you’re looking for a helpful resource to diversify meals and snack time for your family, be sure to check out our free Early Allergen Introduction Guide – because feeding babies should be fun and stress free. Also, don’t miss our informative blog post with pediatric allergist Dr. Alice Hoyt for an easy-to-follow guide to implement more diet diversity. You got this!