Prevalence of hay fever and allergic sensitization in farmer's children and their peers living in the same rural community

Braun‐Fahrländer, Charlotte; Gassner, Markus; Grize, Leticia; Neu, Urs; Sennhauser, Felix H.; Varonier, H. S.; Vuille, J. C.; Wüthrich, B

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2222.1999.00479.x

Cited by 590 publications

(418 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Only one farm child was allergic at 3 years of age, as compared with ten in the non-farm group. The protective effect of growing up on a small, family-owned dairy farm is in line with previous studies [2,4,36]. Recent randomized trials point to postponement of introduction of solid foods as a strong risk factor for development of food allergy [15,16] and several observational studies have pointed to delayed introduction of fish as predictive of high risk of becoming allergic [22–29].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Late introduction of fish and eggs is associated with increased risk of allergy development – results from the FARMFLORA birth cohort

Jönsson

Barman

Brekke

et al. 2017

Food & Nutrition Research

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The prevalence of allergy is markedly low in children growing up on farms. An increasing number of studies indicate that the timing of food introduction may affect allergy development. We aimed to investigate if protection against allergy in farm environments may be mediated through differences in food-introduction practices between farm and non-farm families, using an explorative approach. Twenty-eight farm and 37 non-farm children were included in the FARMFLORA birth cohort. Practices of breastfeeding and introduction of formulas and complementary foods were collected by questionnaires at 6, 12, and 18 months of age. Allergy was diagnosed by pediatricians at 3 years of age. The only difference in food-introduction practices observed between farm and non-farm children was an earlier introduction of nuts in farmers (median month: 11 [IQR: 8–6] in farmers, 15 [12–19] in non-farmers). One farm child (4%) and 10 non-farm children (27%) were allergic at 3 years of age. Lower risk of allergy development was associated with early exclusive breastfeeding (continuous variable; OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.39–0.89), but also having received eggs (OR = 0.08, 95% CI: 0.13–0.54) and fish (logistic regression not applicable, P = 0.01 in likelihood ratio testing [χ2]) at 10 months of age or earlier compared to later. Our results were not affected by reverse causation, as judged by a questionnaire sent to the families in retrospect. Timing of introduction of complementary foods is unlikely to contribute to the lower risk of allergy among farm children. Although early exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a lower rate of allergy development, postponed introduction of complementary foods might increase the risk of developing allergy. Owing to the limited sample size, our results are only indicative, but support prior findings.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Late introduction of fish and eggs is associated with increased risk of allergy development – results from the FARMFLORA birth cohort

Jönsson

Barman

Brekke

et al. 2017

Food & Nutrition Research

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“…Swiss school children showed to have atopy, measured by radioallergosorbent test, and symptoms of hay fever significantly less frequently than children from the same area who have not been growing up on a farm (114). This inverse association between exposure to farm/country environment in childhood and the subsequent development of atopic disorders has been confirmed by further studies in Germany (115), Austria (116,117), Finland (118), Denmark (119), Canada (120) and France (121) There is also some evidence to suggest that exposure to country living also in later childhood or even in adulthood 'ever living in the country' may confer protection against asthma and atopy implicating that immunomodulation may not be restricted to exposure in the first years of the life only (121).…”

Section: Exposure To Farm/country Environment and Petsmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…It has become evident that something is lacking from our affluent societies that has the capacity to protect against the development of atopic (and autoimmune) diseases (102) Growing up on a farm may confer protection against atopy (114) Exposure to pets (cats and dogs) in early life may confer protection against atopy (123) 2000 Exposure to LPS in home dust may confer protection against atopy (93) Exposure to helminths may confer protection Current hygiene hypothesis; against the expression of atopic disease (134) Orofecal and helminth infections, 2001…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asthma and atopy – the price of affluence?

Hertzen

Haahtela²

2004

Allergy

121

110

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Irrespective of improved knowledge of many aspects of atopic diseases, the unfavorable trends in their prevalence particularly among children could not have been reversed. A growing body of evidence suggests that something may lack from our societal affluence that has the capacity to provide protection against the development of atopic diseases. Much attention during the last years has been devoted to the hygiene hypothesis. This review outlines the impact of environment and lifestyle, particularly from the perspective of the East–West gradient, on the development of atopic diseases, with a special emphasis on the hygiene hypothesis in its broadest sense.

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“…In addition, recent studies of Swiss, Bavarian, and Austrian children have shown that the prevalence of symptoms of allergic rhinitis and of allergen-speci®c IgE antibodies is much lower among the offspring of farmers than among other children in these areas (57). In a recent Swedish study (58), the prevalence of atopy in children from anthroposophic families was found to be lower than in children from other families, a ®nding which led the authors to the conclusion that lifestyle factors associated with anthroposophy may lessen the risk of atopy in childhood.…”

Section: Lifestyle and The Development Of Atopic Diseasementioning

confidence: 99%

What drives the allergic march?

Wahn

2000

Allergy

132

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Prevalence of hay fever and allergic sensitization in farmer's children and their peers living in the same rural community

Abstract: Factors directly or indirectly related to farming as parental occupation decrease the risk of children becoming atopic and developing symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

Cited by 590 publications

References 24 publications

Late introduction of fish and eggs is associated with increased risk of allergy development – results from the FARMFLORA birth cohort

Late introduction of fish and eggs is associated with increased risk of allergy development – results from the FARMFLORA birth cohort

Asthma and atopy – the price of affluence?

What drives the allergic march?

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