Source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Date:
2006-01-11 URL:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0111073504.htm
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Anthroposophic Lifestyle Reduces Risk Of Allergic Disease In Children
Certain features of the anthroposophic lifestyle, such as restrictive use of
antibiotics and fever antipyretics, reduce the risk of allergic disease in
children, according to a new study.
Allergic Disease and Sensitization in Steiner School Children is featured in
the January 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI)
and is currently available on the JACI's Web site at www.jacionline.org. The
JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of
Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).
The study, which focused on more than 6,600 children from five European
countries ages 5 to 13, showed that children in the Steiner schools, which are
similar to Waldorf schools, who are often raised in an anthroposophic lifestyle,
have a lower risk of allergy. Austrian scientist and philosopher Rudolf Steiner
developed the anthroposophic lifestyle in which health is a combination of mind,
body and spiritual balance; his followers integrate both modern medicine with
alternative, nature-based treatments. The study compared the Steiner school
children with their non-Steiner counterparts who lived in the same region.
The purpose of the Prevention of Allergy--Risk Factors for Sensitization
Related to Farming and Anthroposophic Lifestyle (PARSIFAL) study was to identify
possible protective factors for allergy associated with the anthroposophic
lifestyle. A previous Swedish study showed a reduced risk of atophy, but the
specific reason behind that was not discovered.
Information about environmental exposure, history of infections, diet, animal
contact, anthroposophic lifestyle and symptoms and diagnoses of allergic
diseases was collected through a parental questionnaire. A blood sample was also
collected from the children who resided in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland
and The Netherlands.
Researchers observed a lower prevalence of current symptoms and doctor's
diagnosis of rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema and asthma and atopic
sensitization in the Steiner school children compared to non-Steiner children.
Early use of antibiotics and fever reducers, along with the measles, mumps and
rubella vaccination were also associated with increased risks of several
allergic symptoms and doctor's diagnoses.