Exposure to Bacteria Lowers Allergy Risk

Society's obsession with sanitizing everything could be increasing the number of people with allergies.

A Danish study suggests that the less kids are exposed to bacteria, the more likely they are to develop allergies and hypersensitivities. A team at the University of Copenhagen found a relation between schoolchildren with the greatest variety of bacteria in their bodies and their propensity toward allergies: the greater the diversity of bacteria, the lower the risk of allergy. The findings fly in the face of the common parent mantra about not eating food that's fallen on the ground, and if confirmed further could suggest that the best way to keep kids allergy-free might be to just let them be kids. The team also found that children who were born via caesarean section were similarly more likely to develop allergies, as the researchers concluded that the child is exposed to far fewer bacteria through that method than is typical in a vaginal birth. So, parents, feel free to let those floors get extra grimey and those countertops getting extra greasy – you'll be saving your kid's life. Unless they get salmonella. Then that's all on you.