Abstract
BACKGROUND: Complementary food in infancy is necessary for human growth, neurodevelopment, and health. However, the role of allergen consumption in early infancy and its effects on the development of food allergy or tolerance remain unclear. PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of age at the time of complementary food introduction on the development of asthma and atopic dermatitis in Korean children aged 1-3 years. METHODS: We combined data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected from 2010 to 2014 and analyzed 1619 children aged 1-3 years who were included in the survey. Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify associations among type of feeding, age at the time of complementary food introduction, and doctor-diagnosed atopic dermatitis and asthma. RESULTS: Age at the time of complementary food introduction was not significantly associated with doctor-diagnosed atopic dermatitis and asthma in children aged 1-3 years. In the univariate analysis, children with asthma showed higher water and sodium intake levels than nonasthmatic children. However, this relationship was not significant in the multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed no statistically significant relationship between age at the time of complementary food introduction and the risk of atopic dermatitis and asthma in young Korean children. A national prospective study is needed to clarify the influence of age at the time of complementary food introduction on the development of allergic diseases.