This week, I’m joined by A/Prof Debbie Palmer — a leading dietitian and researcher in early life nutrition — to talk about all things food allergy prevention in babies. We cover the latest evidence on eczema care, when (and how) to introduce allergenic foods, and what’s new in the research world. Debbie also shares fascinating insights into why Australia has such high allergy rates and what’s giving researchers hope for the future. Whether you’re a new parent, a curious health professional, or just fascinated by how our bodies develop food tolerance, this episode is a must-listen.
Listen in and discover:
● Why treating eczema early and properly is key to preventing allergies
● The safest way to introduce allergenic foods like egg and peanut (and when to do it)
● How to know if your baby is developmentally ready for these foods
● Why smearing food on skin is risky — and what to do instead
● What’s behind the rise in cashew and pistachio allergies
● The surprising links between early formula use, breastfeeding, and allergy risk
● How oral immunotherapy is changing the future for kids with nut allergies
● What new studies like Nuts for Babies are discovering about allergy prevention
This podcast is for general information only and doesn’t replace personalised medical advice. Please speak with your GP, paediatrician or allergist for guidance specific to your child.
Associate Professor Debbie Palmer is an experienced dietitian and mid-career researcher. She leads a research team which has the primary focus of investigating nutritional strategies for allergic disease prevention. The research team conducts clinical trials, mechanistic studies, and translation activities, all with the goal of reducing the burden of allergies within our community.
Debbie is:
- Team leader of the Nutrition in Early Life Research Team at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
- Co-Director of the Centre for Human Lactation Research and Translation at the University of Western Australia.
- Co-chair of the Food Allergy Stream of the National Allergy Centre of Excellence, and a Chief Investigator on the NHMRC funded Centre of Research Excellence in Food Allergy Research (CFAR3).
Mentioned in this episode:
- Website mentioned by Debbie for research participation and allergy studies: National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE) / Kids Research Australia ( contains the Allergy Study Directory, where families can search for studies across Australia)
- Nipbu / Allergy and Immunology Website: Nipbu – National Allergy Strategy’s allergy prevention hub, run by the National Allergy Centre of Excellence and the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) (Evidence-based information on Eczema care and treatment, introducing allergenic foods, videos and infographics for parents)
- Kids Research (Australia) (Debbie’s research institute, where she leads the Nutrition and Early Life Research team, info on studies like The Pregnant Study and Nuts for Babies)
- The PrEggNut Study: https://originsproject.thekids.org.au/sub-projects/nutrition-metabolism/the-preggnut-study/
- The Nuts for Babies Study: Large study involving 4,000 mums and babies in WA and VIC. Examines peanut and cashew exposure through breastmilk and its link to allergy prevention. Registration info: https://www.thekids.org.au/be-involved/participate-in-research/nuts-for-babies/
- Eczema Education with Jemma Weidinger: https://mealtimes.com.au/product/eczema-workshop-with-jemma-weidinger-replay/
- Mealtimes Membership – live Q&A sessions, personalised support and access to all content
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