About peanuts
Introducing peanut foods to infants as early as 4–6 months can reduce the risk of peanut allergies by up to 86%, making it one of the few conditions with a proven dietary intervention for prevention.
JPMA and NPB have collaborated to create easy-to-understand content to guide WIC participants in safely introducing peanuts to their children to prevent future allergies.
“In addition to aligning with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, introducing peanut and other foods early advances the WIC mission,” explained Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc, director of Food Allergy Advocacy, Education and Prevention for the MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Food Allergy Center. “We have a powerful opportunity to help tens of thousands of families access better nutrition and avoid the medical, financial, social and emotional burdens that food allergies bring each year.
Reaching WIC families has become a priority among early introduction and allergy experts because of concerns about long-term health equity. Science shows the window for preventing an allergy is short and closes early, and disparities in awareness and action today contribute to gaps throughout life.