Unlike the conclusions of the revised Cochrane review the export group set up by the Section on Paediatrics , European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology ( SP-EAACI ) do not find that the exclusion of the four trials dem and s a change of the previous recommendations regarding primary dietary prevention of allergic diseases .
Based on analysis of published peer- review ed observational and interventional studies the results still indicate that breastfeeding is highly recommended for all infants irrespective of atopic heredity .
A dietary regimen is effective in the prevention of allergic diseases in high-risk infants , particularly in early infancy regarding food allergy and eczema .
The most effective dietary regimen is exclusively breastfeeding for at least 4 - 6 months or , in absence of breast milk , formulas with documented reduced allergenicity for at least the first 4 months , combined with avoidance of solid food and cow 's milk for the first 4 months
Factors influencing the relation of infant feeding to asthma and recurrent wheeze in childhood
BACKGROUND The relationship between infant feeding and childhood asthma is controversial . This study tested the hypothesis that the relation between breast feeding and childhood asthma is altered by the presence of maternal asthma . METHODS Healthy non-selected newborn infants ( n=1246 ) were enrolled at birth . Asthma was defined as a physician diagnosis of asthma plus asthma symptoms reported on ⩾2 question naires at 6 , 9 , 11 or 13 years . Recurrent wheeze ( ⩾4 episodes in the past year ) was reported by question naire at seven ages in the first 13 years of life . Duration of exclusive breast feeding was based on prospect i ve physician reports or parental question naires completed at 18 months . Atopy was assessed by skin test responses at the age of 6 years . RESULTS The relationship between  breast feeding , asthma , and wheeze differed with the presence or absence of maternal asthma and atopy in the child . After adjusting for confounders , children with asthmatic mothers were significantly more likely to have asthma if they had been exclusively breast fed ( OR 8.7 , 95 % CI 3.4 to 22.2 ) . This relationship was only evident for atopic children and persisted after adjusting for confounders . In contrast , the relation between recurrent wheeze and breast feeding was age dependent . In the first 2 years of life exclusive breast feeding was associated with significantly lower rates of recurrent wheeze ( OR 0.45 , 95 % CI 0.2 to 0.9 ) , regardless of the presence or absence of maternal asthma or atopy in the child . Beginning at the age of 6 years , exclusive breast feeding was unrelated to prevalence of recurrent wheeze , except for children with asthmatic mothers in whom it was associated with a higher odds ratio for wheeze ( OR 5.7 , 95 % CI 2.3 to 14.1 ) , especially if the child was atopic . CONCLUSION The relationship between breast feeding and asthma or recurrent wheeze varies with the age of the child and the presence or absence of maternal asthma and atopy in the child . While associated with protection against recurrent wheeze early in life , breast feeding is associated with an increased risk of asthma and recurrent wheeze beginning at the age of 6 years , but only for atopic children with asthmatic mothers
Unlike the conclusions of the revised Cochrane review the export group set up by the Section on Paediatrics , European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology ( SP-EAACI ) do not find that the exclusion of the four trials dem and s a change of the previous recommendations regarding primary dietary prevention of allergic diseases .
Based on analysis of published peer- review ed observational and interventional studies the results still indicate that breastfeeding is highly recommended for all infants irrespective of atopic heredity .
A dietary regimen is effective in the prevention of allergic diseases in high-risk infants , particularly in early infancy regarding food allergy and eczema .
The most effective dietary regimen is exclusively breastfeeding for at least 4 - 6 months or , in absence of breast milk , formulas with documented reduced allergenicity for at least the first 4 months , combined with avoidance of solid food and cow 's milk for the first 4 months