Maternal diet and complementary food diversity on allergy prevention

When it comes to the patho-ethiology of allergic diseases, many dietary and environmental factors come to play, one of which is maternal and child nutrition. Avoidance of allergens while pregnant and lactating is not recommended, and timely introduction of allergens is advised, however there is still much to be understood in this field. Studies focusing on the intake of specific nutrients have failed to provide any clear guidance on allergy prevention, and nutrition intervention strategies have shifted focus from single nutrients and food to overall diets in pregnancy, breastfeeding and early life. Diet diversity in infancy, and healthy diet diversity during pregnancy has been associated with a reduce prevalence of childhood allergic diseases. More data is required to assess other indices as well as overall dietary intake to support international food allergy guidelines.