The Relevance of Nutrition for Pediatric Allergy and Immunity

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this Special Issue, “The Relevance of Nutrition for Pediatric Allergy and Immunity”, is to provide an overview of the role of the relevance of nutrition in early life to support immune development to prevent infections and the development of allergy.

The development of the immune system in early life is essential to shape an immune system that can provide immunity against infection, and that does not allow the development of allergies. The first three years (or 1000 days) seem to be crucial for the development of the immune system.

The prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and food allergy has increased tremendously in recent decades. The increase in food allergies and the chance of the development of other allergies with a negative impact on the quality of life have urged us to understand the way immune systems can be influenced at an early stage.

Different factors have been known to influence the development of the immune system of the newborn in order to respond to infection, but also to tolerate food allergens; these range from breast feeding and nutrient supplementation to the shaping of the microbiota and their metabolic activities. On the other hand, the early introduction of highly allergenic foods can also prevent food allergies and induce tolerance.

What are the immunomodulatory mechanisms of these nutritional factors? Can nutrition also play an active role in immunotherapy? Can nutrition help protect against gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections in early life?

This Special Issue will touch upon the many aspects that relate to nutritional pediatric allergy and immunity, with a focus on three different questions:

1. Can nutrition in early life help to prevent (food) allergies?
2. Can early life nutrition help to support immune development and prevent infections?
3. What is the role of the early introduction of food components in the prevention of food allergies?

The topics covered should range from epidemiology, breastfeeding and early life nutrition, to effects on microbiota, infection, allergy, asthma, and the mechanisms of immunomodulation by (the early introduction of) nutrition on infections and the development of (food) allergies.

Kind regards,

Prof. Dr. R.J. Joost van Neerven
Dr. Janneke Ruinemans-Koerts
Guest Editors

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