Another explanation for the low allergy rate in the rural Alpine foothills

Matthias Wjst

A low allergy rate in coal and wood heated homes has been described in the small villages in the Alpine foothills and subsequently found to be associated with the farming environment. This was interpreted within the framework of the hygiene hypothesis but there are also alternative explanations. Lower air pollution could be one reason, which is, however, unlikely since the differences between the Bavarian countryside and the Munich municipal area were only weak. There could be genetic differences between the urban and rural population by previous isolation or by self-selection. The potential drop-out of allergy genes, however, will also not explain the absent increase of allergies in two generations. More likely, other lifestyle factors are important. Dietary habits are different in farmers and a less frequent vitamin D supplementation of newborns (otherwise expected to be allergy promoting) has been shown recently. The underlying cause for the "non-allergic farm child" remains speculative until the transfer of any farm-associated factor is leading to a similar risk reduction in the general population.