A dishwasher is now commonplace in many Swedish homes, but from an allergy viewpoint, it may be better to wash dishes by hand, according to a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy. The findings were recently published in the journal Pediatrics.
The study is based on a survey in which more than a thousand children between the ages of seven to eight answered questions about issues such as asthma, eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis. The researchers conclude that allergic diseases are less common in families that do their dishes by hand.
“We cannot say for sure that this is the cause but we do see a connection with less allergy in households that do their dishes manually, compared to those who use a dishwasher”, Bill Hesselmar, associate professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy and consultant at the Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, says to the paper Aftonbladet.
According to one theory the immune system is stimulated by microbial exposure during childhood, resulting in increased immunological tolerance and a lower risk of allergies. Several common lifestyle factors and household practices can affect exposure to microbes, including the washing method used in the home.
“Previous studies have shown that exposure to bacteria early in life makes you tolerant rather than allergic to particles such as pollen and other substances that you should be able to tolerate”, Bill Hesselmar says to the newspaper.
The research results have been widely reported in the media, both internationally and in Sweden.
Title: Allergy in Children in Hand Versus Machine Dishwashing.
Journal: Pediatrics. 2015 Feb 23. pii: peds.2014-2968. [Epub ahead of print]
Authors: Hesselmar B, Hicke-Roberts A, Wennergren G.