Primary prevention of food allergy in children and adults.

REVIEWER COMMENTS. These findings further support the role of environmental factors in the development of allergic disease. Limitations of this study, however, include selfreport of allergic disease without clinical verification. The majority of the participants currently reside in a metropolitan area, and it is unknown what proportion of foreignborn familiesmoved from a developing country (compared with an industrialized country) to the United States. Country of origin was not ascertained, although race/ethnicity data were collected as a proxy. Other potential confounding factors not evaluated include diet, allergenic exposures, use of antibiotics, use of antibacterial cleaning products, and history of helminthic infections.