What a mother eats during pregnancy can influence her child’s health long after birth. A recent study published in Pediatric Research suggests that eating avocado during pregnancy may significantly reduce the risk of food allergies in infants.
Avocado and Maternal Diet Quality
Avocado eaters tended to have healthier overall diets. Participants who consumed avocado scored 6.3 points higher on a 90-point diet quality scale, reflecting better nutritional habits beyond just avocado intake.
Food allergies affect about one in every 13 children, according to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE). Prior research links unhealthy maternal diets high in sweets and processed foods to increased allergy and asthma risks in children. Conversely, diets rich in vegetables, yogurt, and Mediterranean-style eating patterns are associated with fewer allergic conditions.
The Study: Maternal Avocado Consumption and Infant Allergies
This new study analyzed data from the Kuopio Birth Cohort (KuBiCo) in Finland, which included 2,272 women who delivered babies between 2013 and 2022. Researchers compared women who ate any avocado during pregnancy with those who did not. They tracked allergic conditions in their children, focusing on food allergies, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and wheezing.
Women who ate avocados were generally older, had lower BMI, smoked less, and breastfed longer. Most avocado consumers were first-time mothers.
Key Findings
- Infants of mothers who ate avocado had a 44% lower risk of food allergy at 12 months old (2.4% vs. 4.2% in non-consumers), even after adjusting for factors like maternal age, BMI, delivery method, and breastfeeding.
- Wheezing was less common among offspring of avocado consumers, but this association was weaker after adjusting for other factors.
- No significant differences were found for allergic rhinitis or eczema at 12 months, likely because these conditions often develop later.
Why Might Avocado Help?
Avocados are rich in antioxidants, dietary fiber, and monounsaturated fats. These nutrients may:
- Alter immune cell (T cell) responses to reduce allergy risk.
- Improve gut microbiome health through fiber fermentation, producing beneficial compounds that support immune development.
- Decrease inflammation linked to asthma.
However, the study does not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
Conclusions and Implications
This pioneering research supports earlier findings that Mediterranean-style diets may protect against allergies in children. While evidence for specific foods remains limited, avocado consumption during pregnancy appears to be a promising, natural way to potentially lower infant food allergy risk.
“There is no cure for food allergy,” said study author Sari Hantunen. “Based on these findings, it’s encouraging to know that eating avocados may provide even more value to maternal and children’s health.”
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