Children of mothers who drink relatively more cow’s milk during breastfeeding are at reduced risk of developing food allergies.

The result is based on a survey of more than 500 Swedish women’s eating habits and the prevalence of allergies in their children at one year of age.

«We have found that mothers of healthy one-year-olds consumed more cow’s milk during breastfeeding than mothers of allergic one-year-olds. Though the association is clear, we do not claim that drinking cow’s milk would be a general cure for food allergies.» says Mia Stravik, doctoral student in the Division of Food Science at Chalmers University of Technology, and first author of the study.

There are many factors behind the risk of food allergy, not least genetic predisposition. Yet, as Mia Stravik explains, «Diet is a factor where parents themselves can have direct influence. It is quite common nowadays for young women to avoid drinking milk, due in part to prevailing trends and concerns, some of which are linked to myths about diet.»

She points out that allergy to milk protein is uncommon in adults, so most women can consume milk and dairy products themselves without issue. Lactose intolerance is something completely different, when the body cannot break down milk sugars. And in this case, lactose-free dairy products are tolerated by the body.

The hygiene hypothesis

According to Professor Ann-Sofie Sandberg, Mia Stravik’s supervisor, one possible explanation may be that the milk in the mother’s diet contains substances that stimulate the maturity of the immune system.

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Materials provided by Chalmers University of Technology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.