Experts from the Regional Center for the Environment of Japan and Fukushima Children's Research have found that living with pets reduces the risk of food allergies in children. The results of the work were published in the journal PLOS ONE.

In the process, more than 66 thousand children were analyzed, in which the influence of pets on the likelihood of food allergies was considered. About 22 percent were developed in utero with pets (most often with pet dogs and cats). All data were collected from medical records recorded during the first trimester of pregnancy, at birth, and at a follow-up one month after birth.

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It turned out that children exposed to domestic dogs and cats had a significantly reduced incidence of food allergies. Moreover, if the dogs lived on the street, then such a correlation was not observed. Participants exposed to pet dogs were significantly less likely to be allergic to eggs, milk, and nuts. Children living with cats were less likely to be allergic to eggs, wheat and soy. Interestingly, hamster contact subjects (0.9 percent of the group examined) had a significantly higher incidence of nut allergy.

The format of the study does not imply the determination of a causal relationship. However, the authors hope that their discovery will form the basis for future studies of the mechanisms underlying childhood food allergies.