D1.270 - Irish Infant Allergy and Nutrition: A Content Analysis of Public-Facing Online Guidance

Early infant feeding practices, especially allergen introduction, play a vital role in the prevention of food allergy and other atopic disease. Although international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), provide clear and evidence-based recommendations, many parents and healthcare professionals access guidance and information through national and organisational websites. As a result, inconsistencies and outdated information may cause confusion amongst parents and healthcare professionals, delayed allergen introduction, and even inappropriate feeding practices.

A structured qualitative content analysis was conducted of online, publicly available infant feeding and allergy information and guidance from Irish and European health organisations (including HSE, FSAI, INDI, EFSA, EAACI, ESPGHAN and others). Over 20 documents and webpages were identified through systematically searching relevant national and organisational websites. Content was coded using a predefined extraction framework covering variables such as accessibility, content coverage, and scientific accuracy. Scientific alignment was evaluated against current WHO, EAACI and ESPGHAN recommendations. Content was assessed for any outdated recommendations (information that had not been updated within three years and/or conflicting with reference standards).

We note variation in the accessibility and scientific alignment of guidance across the many organisations. While most sources provide general infant feeding advice, vital areas such as allergen introduction timing and emergency allergy management were typically covered inconsistently, with sources being only somewhat aligned or even conflicting with current recommendations.

This study provides an overview of the consistency, accuracy, and accessibility of online infant allergy and nutrition guidance available to families and clinicians in Ireland and Europe. Identifying inconsistencies and outdated recommendations can support targeted improvements in public-facing health guidance and promote better alignment with current evidence-based allergy prevention strategies.