HealthNuts

The HealthNuts study of 5,300 children is the world’s first comprehensive population-based study of food allergy with an objective measurement of true food allergy. The study will enable researchers to better understand the natural history of allergic disorders including food allergy, asthma, eczema and hay fever and the risk factors for developing these conditions in the first six years of life. The study will have important implications for clinical guidelines and public health policy.

Participants who were food allergic at wave 1 food challenge or who indicated the presence of new food allergy symptoms since wave 1 were invited to participate in the clinical sub-sample, which included food challenge assessments.

In the below tables:
(a) – data collected for whole sample
(b) – additional data collected for clinic/food challenge subsample

Study Summary
Study name HealthNuts
Study abbreviation HealthNuts
Current principal investigator/s Rachel Peters
Primary Institution/s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute - MCRI
Collaborating Institution/s The Royal Children’s Hospital - RCH
The University of Melbourne - UoM
Major funding source/s National Health and Medical Research Council - NHMRC
IIhan Food Allergy Foundation
AnaphylaxiStop
Australian Egg Corporation Pty.
US Department of Defense
Study website https://www.mcri.edu.au/research/projects/healthnuts
Key reference for study Osborne, N.J., Koplin, J.J., Martin, P.E., Gurrin, L.C., Thiele, L., Tang, M.L., Ponsonby, A-L., Dharmage, S.C. and Allen, K.J., for HealthNuts Study Investigators. (2010). The HealthNuts population-based study of paediatric food allergy: validity, safety and acceptability. Clin Exp Allergy, 40(10): 1516-22
Study focus

A comprehensive population-based study of food allergy with an objective measurement of true food allergy, to better understand the natural history of, and risk factors for, allergic disorders.

 

Sampling frame

12-month-old infants presenting for routine scheduled vaccination at local government-led immunisation clinics across Melbourne, Australia.

 

Primary study type Longitudinal cohort
Primary participant (at recruitment) Index child
Year commenced

2007

 

Is this study ongoing? Yes - the study is ongoing
Ongoing recruitment? No
Sample size (N)

5300

 

Survey data available? Yes
Imaging data available? No
Linkage to administrative dataset/s? Yes, linkage to (at least one) administrative dataset completed
Biosamples available? Yes
Are data available to others outside study team, with appropriate safeguards and structures in line with the cohort’s ethics and governance processes? Yes
Are there any costs associated with data/sample access for approved requests? There are usually no costs associated with access
Broadest type of participant consent available Extended consent (can be used for future ethically approved research related to this project)

2022

Currell A, Koplin JJ, Lowe AJ, Perrett KP, Ponsonby A-L, Tang MLK, Dharmage SC, Peters RL. (2022). Mode of Birth Is Not Associated With Food Allergy Risk in Infants The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 10(8), 2135 - 2143.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2022.03.031

Dang TD, Peters R, Neeland MR, Brettig T, Green H, McWilliam V, Tang MLK, Dharmage S, Ponsonby A, Koplin J, Perrett KP, Investigators FTH. (2022). Ana o 3 sIgE testing increases the accuracy of cashew allergy diagnosis using a two‐step model Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 33(1), e13705. DOI: 10.1111/pai.13705

Hua X, Dalziel K, Brettig T, Dharmage SC, Lowe A, Perrett KP, Peters RL, Ponsonby A, Tang MLK, Koplin J. (2022). Out‐of‐hospital health care costs of childhood food allergy in Australia: A population‐based longitudinal study Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 33(11), e13883. DOI: 10.1111/pai.13883

Idrose NS, Lodge CJ, Peters RL, Douglass JA, Koplin JJ, Lowe AJ, Perrett KP, Tang MLK, Newbigin EJ, Abramson MJ, Erbas B, Vicendese D, Dharmage SC. (2022). The role of short‐term grass pollen exposure in food skin‐prick test reactivity, food allergy, and eczema flares in children Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 33(10), e13862. DOI: 10.1111/pai.13862

Idrose NS, Vicendese D, Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Douglass JA, Walters EH, Perret JL, Lowe AJ, Tang MLK, Newbigin EJ, Erbas B, Lodge CJ, Dharmage SC. (2022). Children With Food Allergy Are at Risk of Lower Lung Function on High-Pollen Days The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 10(8), 2144 - 2153.e10. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2022.03.022

Koplin J, Soriano V, Netting M, Peters R. (2022). Infant feeding patterns before and after changes to food allergy prevention guidelines in Australia The Medical Journal of Australia, 217(4), 210 - 211. DOI: 10.5694/mja2.51627

Peters RL, Guarnieri I, Tang MLK, Lowe AJ, Dharmage SC, Perrett KP, Gurrin LC, Koplin JJ. (2022). The natural history of peanut and egg allergy in children up to age 6 years in the HealthNuts population-based longitudinal study Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 150(3), 657 - 665.e13. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.04.008

Peters RL, Sutherland D, Dharmage SC, Lowe AJ, Perrett KP, Tang MLK, Lycett K, Knibbs LD, Koplin JJ, Mavoa S. (2022). The association between environmental greenness and the risk of food allergy: A population‐based study in Melbourne, Australia Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 33(2), e13749. DOI: 10.1111/pai.13749

Soriano VX, Peters RL, Moreno-Betancur M, Ponsonby A-L, Gell G, Odoi A, Perrett KP, Tang MLK, Gurrin LC, Allen KJ, Dharmage SC, Koplin JJ. (2022). Association Between Earlier Introduction of Peanut and Prevalence of Peanut Allergy in Infants in Australia JAMA, 328(1), 48 - 56. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2022.9224

Turner PJ, Gretzinger M, Patel N, Brough HA, Chinthrajah RS, Ebisawa M, Elizur A, Koplin JJ, Peters RL, Purington N, Nowak‐Wegrzyn A, Saf S, Sampson HA, Westerhout J, Blom WM, Baumert JL, Houben GF, Remington BC. (2022). Updated threshold dose‐distribution data for sesame Allergy, 77(10), 3124 - 3162. DOI: 10.1111/all.15364

2021

Cassim R, Dharmage SC, Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Allen KJ, Tang MLK, Lowe AJ, Olds TS, Fraysse F, Milanzi E, Russell MA, Investigators TH. (2021). Are young children with asthma more likely to be less physically active? Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 32(2), 288 - 294. DOI: 10.1111/pai.13383

Neeland MR, Andorf S, Dang TD, McWilliam VL, Perrett KP, Koplin JJ, Saffery R. (2021). Altered immune cell profiles and impaired CD4 T‐cell activation in single and multi‐food allergic adolescents Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 51(5), 674 - 684. DOI: 10.1111/cea.13857

Oakley J, Peters RL, Wake M, Grobler AC, Kerr JA, Lycett K, Cassim R, Russell M, Sun C, Tang MLK, Koplin JJ, Mavoa S. (2021). Backyard benefits? A cross-sectional study of yard size and greenness and children’s physical activity and outdoor play BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1402. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11475-4

Peters RL, Barret DY, Soriano VX, McWilliam V, Lowe AJ, Ponsonby A-L, Tang MLK, Dharmage SC, Gurrin LC, Koplin JJ, Perrett KP. (2021). No cashew allergy in infants introduced to cashew by age 1 year Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 147(1), 383 - 384. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.07.003

Peters RL, Kay T, McWilliam VL, Lodge CJ, Ponsonby A-L, Dharmage SC, Lowe AJ, Koplin JJ. (2021). The Interplay Between Eczema and Breastfeeding Practices May Hide Breastfeeding's Protective Effect on Childhood Asthma The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 9(2), 862 - 871.e5. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.09.006

Soriano V, Peters R, Ponsonby A-L, Perrett K, Dharmage S, Gurrin L, Koplin J. (2021). Has the Prevalence of Peanut Allergy Changed Following Earlier Introduction of Peanut? The EarlyNuts Study Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 147(2), ab236. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2020.12.009

Suaini NHA, Loo EX, Peters RL, Yap GC, Allen KJ, Van Bever H, Martino DJ, Goh AEN, Dharmage SC, Colega MT, Chong MFF, Ponsonby A, Tan KH, Tang MLK, Godfrey KM, Lee BW, Shek LP, Koplin JJ, Tham EH. (2021). Children of Asian ethnicity in Australia have higher risk of food allergy and early‐onset eczema than those in Singapore Allergy, 76(10), 3171 - 3182. DOI: 10.1111/all.14823

2020

Liao Z, Lamb KE, Burgner D, Ranganathan S, Miller JE, Koplin JJ, Dharmage SC, Lowe AJ, Ponsonby A-L, Tang MLK, Allen KJ, Wake M, Peters RL. (2020). No obvious impact of caesarean delivery on childhood allergic outcomes: findings from Australian cohorts Archives of Disease in Childhood, 105(7), 664 - 670. DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-317485

McWilliam V, Peters RL, Allen KJ, Dharmage SC, Ponsonby A-L, Tang MLK, Smart J, Perrett K, Tey D, Robinson M, Taranto M, Koplin JJ, Gurrin LC, HealthNuts , Dwyer T, Lowe A, Wake M, Robertson C, investigators S, Sawyer S, Patton G, Douglass J, Vuillermin P. (2020). Skin Prick Test Predictive Values for the Outcome of Cashew Challenges in Children The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 8(1), 141 - 148.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.05.057

Wang Y, Peters RL, Perrett KP, McWilliam VL, Tang MLK, Lowe AJ, Ponsonby A-L, Dharmage SC, Allen KJ, Koplin JJ, investigators H. (2020). Community-Based Adverse Food Reactions and Anaphylaxis in Children with IgE-Mediated Food Allergy at Age 6 Years: A Population-Based Study The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 8(10), 3515 - 3524. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.07.008

2019

Dang TD, Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Dharmage SC, Gurrin LC, Ponsonby A, Martino DJ, Neeland M, Tang MLK, Allen KJ, study TH. (2019). Egg allergen specific IgE diversity predicts resolution of egg allergy in the population cohort HealthNuts Allergy, 74(2), 318 - 326. DOI: 10.1111/all.13572

McWilliam V, Peters R, Tang MLK, Dharmage S, Ponsonby A-L, Gurrin L, Perrett K, Koplin J, Allen KJ, investigators H, Dwyer T, Lowe A, Wake M, Robertson C. (2019). Patterns of tree nut sensitization and allergy in the first 6 years of life in a population-based cohort Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 143(2), 644 - 650.e5. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.07.038

Neeland MR, Martino DJ, Dang TD, Koplin JJ, Peters RL, Grishin A, Dharmage SC, Tang ML, Sampson HA, Saffery R, Allen KJ. (2019). B‐cell phenotype and function in infants with egg allergy Allergy, 74(5), 1022 - 1025. DOI: 10.1111/all.13707

Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Dharmage SC, Tang MLK, McWilliam VL, Gurrin LC, Neeland MR, Lowe AJ, Ponsonby A-L, Allen KJ. (2019). Early Exposure to Cow's Milk Protein Is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Cow's Milk Allergic Outcomes The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 7(2), 462 - 470.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.08.038

Sasaki M, Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Lowe AJ, Ponsonby A-L, Tang MLK, Dharmage SC, Allen KJ. (2019). Food allergy at 1 year predicts persistence of eczema at 6 years The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 7(6), 2078 - 2081.e6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.02.019

Suaini NHA, Koplin JJ, Peters RL, Sasaki M, Ellis JA, Martino DJ, Lowe AJ, Tang MLK, Ponsonby A-L, Gurrin LC, Dharmage SC, Allen KJ, group HS. (2019). Children with East Asian-Born Parents Have an Increased Risk of Allergy but May Not Have More Asthma in Early Childhood The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 7(2), 539 - 547.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.07.042

2018

Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Allen KJ, Lowe AJ, Lodge CJ, Tang MLK, Wake M, Ponsonby A-L, Erbas B, Abramson MJ, Hill D, Gurrin LC, Dharmage SC. (2018). The Prevalence of Food Sensitization Appears Not to Have Changed between 2 Melbourne Cohorts of High-Risk Infants Recruited 15 Years Apart The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 6(2), 440 - 448.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2017.11.018

Vermeulen EM, Koplin JJ, Dharmage SC, Gurrin LC, Peters RL, McWilliam V, Ponsonby A-L, Dwyer T, Lowe AJ, Tang MLK, Allen KJ, investigators H, Wake M, Matheson M, Robertson C, Hill D. (2018). Food Allergy Is an Important Risk Factor for Childhood Asthma, Irrespective of Whether It Resolves The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 6(4), 1336 - 1341.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2017.10.019

2017

Ashley SE, Tan HT, Peters R, Allen KJ, Vuillermin P, Dharmage SC, Tang MLK, Koplin J, Lowe A, Ponsonby A, Molloy J, Matheson MC, Saffery R, Ellis JA, Martino D, team TH. (2017). Genetic variation at the Th2 immune gene IL13 is associated with IgE‐mediated paediatric food allergy Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 47(8), 1032 - 1037. DOI: 10.1111/cea.12942

Chan JCK, Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Dharmage SC, Gurrin LC, Wake M, Tang MLK, Prescott S, Allen KJ, Study H, Wake M, Ponsonby A-L, Matheson M, Dwyer T, Prescott S, Robertson C, Zurzolo G, Thiele L, Czech H, Shaw H, Anderson D, Eckert J, Bertalli N, Sanjeevan J, Garner C, Mathers M, Trembath K, Crawford H. (2017). Food Challenge and Community-Reported Reaction Profiles in Food-Allergic Children Aged 1 and 4 Years: A Population-Based Study The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 5(2), 398 - 409.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2016.12.021

Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Gurrin LC, Dharmage SC, Wake M, Ponsonby A-L, Tang MLK, Lowe AJ, Matheson M, Dwyer T, Allen KJ, Study H. (2017). The prevalence of food allergy and other allergic diseases in early childhood in a population-based study: HealthNuts age 4-year follow-up Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 140(1), 145 - 153.e8. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.02.019

2016

Beck C, Koplin J, Dharmage S, Wake M, Gurrin L, McWilliam V, Tang M, Sun C, Foskey R, Allen KJ, Robertson C, Hill D, Vuillermin P, Osborne N, Mathers M, Peters R, Dang T, Tey D, Robinson M, Zurzolo G, Thiele L, Czech H, Shaw H, Anderson D, Eckert J, Bertalli N, Sanjeevan J, Tan T, Martin P, Garner C, Trembath K, Crawford H, Suaini N, Ferreira M, Martino D, Saffery R, Ellis J, Saffery R, Molloy J, Brewerton M, Licciardi P, Tilbrook K, Chhabra S. (2016). Persistent Food Allergy and Food Allergy Coexistent with Eczema Is Associated with Reduced Growth in the First 4 Years of Life The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice, 4(2), 248 - 256.e3. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2015.08.009

Goldsmith AJ, Koplin JJ, Lowe AJ, Tang ML, Matheson MC, Robinson M, Peters R, Dharmage SC, Allen KJ. (2016). Formula and breast feeding in infant food allergy: A population‐based study Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 52(4), 377 - 384. DOI: 10.1111/jpc.13109

Koplin JJ, Peters RL, Dharmage SC, Gurrin L, Tang MLK, Ponsonby A-L, Matheson M, Togias A, Lack G, Allen KJ, investigators HS, Allen K, Wake M, Dharmage S, Tang M, Gurrin L, Matheson M, Lowe A, Ponsonby A-L, Hill D. (2016). Understanding the feasibility and implications of implementing early peanut introduction for prevention of peanut allergy Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 138(4), 1131 - 1141.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.04.011

Koplin JJ, Suaini NHA, Vuillermin P, Ellis JA, Panjari M, Ponsonby A-L, Peters RL, Matheson MC, Martino D, Dang T, Osborne NJ, Martin P, Lowe A, Gurrin LC, Tang MLK, Wake M, Dwyer T, Hopper J, Dharmage SC, Allen KJ, Study H. (2016). Polymorphisms affecting vitamin D–binding protein modify the relationship between serum vitamin D (25[OH]D3) and food allergy Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 137(2), 500 - 506.e4. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.05.051

2015

Hua S, Peters RL, Allen KJ, Dharmage SC, Tang ML, Wake M, Foskey R, Heine RG, Investigators HS. (2015). Medical intervention in infantile reflux Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 51(5), 515 - 523. DOI: 10.1111/jpc.12760

Koplin JJ, Wake M, Dharmage SC, Matheson M, Tang ML, Gurrin LC, Dwyer T, Peters RL, Prescott S, Ponsonby A-L, Lowe AJ, Allen KJ. (2015). Cohort Profile: The HealthNuts Study: Population prevalence and environmental/genetic predictors of food allergy International Journal of Epidemiology, 44(4), 1161 - 1171. DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyu261

Peters RL, Allen KJ, Dharmage SC, Koplin JJ, Dang T, Tilbrook KP, Lowe A, Tang MLK, Gurrin LC, study H. (2015). Natural history of peanut allergy and predictors of resolution in the first 4 years of life: A population-based assessment Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 135(5), 1257 - 1266.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2015.01.002

Peters RL, Allen KJ, Dharmage SC, Lodge CJ, Koplin JJ, Ponsonby A, Wake M, Lowe AJ, Tang MLK, Matheson MC, Gurrin LC, study TH. (2015). Differential factors associated with challenge‐proven food allergy phenotypes in a population cohort of infants: a latent class analysis Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 45(5), 953 - 963. DOI: 10.1111/cea.12478

2014

Koplin JJ, Peters RL, Ponsonby A, Gurrin LC, Hill D, Tang MLK, Dharmage SC, Allen KJ, Group THS. (2014). Increased risk of peanut allergy in infants of Asian‐born parents compared to those of Australian‐born parents Allergy, 69(12), 1639 - 1647. DOI: 10.1111/all.12487

Peters RL, Dharmage SC, Gurrin LC, Koplin JJ, Ponsonby A-L, Lowe AJ, Tang MLK, Tey D, Robinson M, Hill D, Czech H, Thiele L, Osborne NJ, Allen KJ, study H. (2014). The natural history and clinical predictors of egg allergy in the first 2 years of life: A prospective, population-based cohort study Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 133(2), 485 - 491.e6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.11.032

Suaini NHA, Koplin JJ, Ellis JA, Peters RL, Ponsonby A-L, Dharmage SC, Matheson MC, Wake M, Panjari M, Tan H-TT, Martin PE, Pezic A, Lowe AJ, Martino D, Gurrin LC, Vuillermin PJ, Tang MLK, Allen KJ, Investigators THS. (2014). Environmental and genetic determinants of vitamin D insufficiency in 12-month-old infants The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 144, 445 - 454. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2014.08.018

Tey D, Allen KJ, Peters RL, Koplin JJ, Tang MLK, Gurrin LC, Ponsonby A-L, Lowe AJ, Wake M, Dharmage SC, investigators HS. (2014). Population response to change in infant feeding guidelines for allergy prevention Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 133(2), 476 - 484. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.11.019

2013

Koplin JJ, Allen KJ, Gurrin LC, Peters RL, Lowe AJ, Tang MLK, Dharmage SC. (2013). The Impact of Family History of Allergy on Risk of Food Allergy: A Population-Based Study of Infants International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 10(11), 5364 - 5377. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph10115364

Peters RL, Allen KJ, Dharmage SC, Tang MLK, Koplin JJ, Ponsonby A-L, Lowe AJ, Hill D, Gurrin LC, study H. (2013). Skin prick test responses and allergen-specific IgE levels as predictors of peanut, egg, and sesame allergy in infants Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 132(4), 874 - 880. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.05.038

0

Neeland MR, Andorf S, Manohar M, Dunham D, Lyu S-C, Dang TD, Peters RL, Perrett KP, Tang MLK, Saffery R, Koplin JJ, Nadeau KC. (). Mass cytometry reveals cellular fingerprint associated with IgE+ peanut tolerance and allergy in early life Nature Communications, 11(1), 1091. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14919-4

Study Contacts
Principal investigator/s Rachel Peters
Study Contact

Ph: +61 3 8341 6266
Email: health.nuts@mcri.edu.au
Address: HealthNuts Study
Population Allergy,
Murdoch Children's Research Institute,
Royal Children’s Hospital
Flemington Road, Parkville
Victoria 3052 Australia