Farms Shield Kids From Bowel Disease

Related Encyclopedia • Abdominoplasty • Acidophilus • Acne • Adhesions More... Related Healthscout Videos Nutrition and Cancer Nutrition and Osteoporosis Importance of Good Nutrition Picture Perfect Smile More... Related Animations • Allergy • Dental Cavities • GERD • PPI Therapy More... Related Drug Information • Aciphex • Adderal XR • Allegra • Allegra D More... Related News Articles • Exercise Eases Obesity and Anger in Kids • C-Section Might Boost Baby's Asthma Risk • Epilepsy Drug May Raise Autism Risk in Offspring • Exercise Eases Depression and Heart Disease More...

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>

Kids with either Crohn's or ulcerative colitis "were less likely to have lived in rural environments and were less likely to have farm contact in the first year of life, before the disease had developed," Radon noted.

In contrast, children who had spent regular amounts of time visiting or living on farms during their first year of life were 50 percent less likely to develop Crohn's as they got older and 60 percent less prone to ulcerative colitis, compared to youngsters who had not had that experience.

Early exposure to cattle, especially, appeared to help keep the diseases at bay, cutting the odds of Crohn's by 60 percent and colitis by 70 percent, the study authors said.

Text Continues Below

---

Cattle appeared to have a more potent effect on IBD risk than exposure to household pets, the study found. Household cat and dog exposure has been the focus of much study and debate among allergists and immunologists.

In this study, regular exposure in infancy to cats reduced Crohn's risk by just 20 percent, a statistic the researchers described as only of "borderline significance." Cat exposure was somewhat more useful against colitis, with rates dropping by 50 percent compared to unexposed children.

The cat-cattle discrepancy didn't come as a big surprise to Rosh.

"It seems that it's not so much animals, per se, as it is which animals," he said. "So, the domesticated cat that stays in the corner cleaning himself all day may not be 'dirty enough' to save you."

Radon agreed. "It has also been shown for allergies that farm animal contact is more efficient [in reducing risk] than pet contact. Therefore, it is not surprising that we see the same for inflammatory bowel disease," she said. "The reason might be that the level of exposure to bacteria and fungi in the farm environment is much higher than if you have a cat or dog at home."

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>