Baby Steps for Food Allergy Prevention: The CAN DO Study

Early introduction of food allergens during infancy can significantly reduce the risk of food allergies early in life. Yet, feeding multiple food allergens during the complementary feeding period has not been tested in a large, diverse cohort in the US. The CAN DO (Child Activities Nutrition Development Oversight) Study enrolled 1800 infants from the Chicago area to evaluate the long term effects of early introduction on food allergy risk throughout childhood.

Suggested Performance Indicators: 

9.1.1, 9.1.5, 9.2.3

Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the current evidence of early introduction on food allergy prevention.
2. Describe the CAN DO Study aims.
3. Discuss novel diet assessment tools to evaluate early life eating patterns and related effects on food allergy risk.

4. Present preliminary CAN DO Study findings.

Speaker:

Eileen Vincent, MS, RDN, is a master’s prepared registered dietitian who has been involved in nutrition research for over the span of three decades. She launched her research career by working as a NASA research assistant in Clear Lake, TX while also completing her joint dietetic internship/master’s degree in clinical nutrition at Texas Women’s University in Houston. At Northwestern University, Eileen has served as a research dietitian, coordinating randomized clinical trials spanning from early life (pregnancy) through older adulthood. Major research projects include Women’s Health Initiative, NIH Nutrition Academic Award for Medical Students, Dietary Intervention Study in Children and Maternal-Offspring Metabolics: Family Intervention Trial. Since 2020, Eileen has shifted her research focus to food allergy projects sponsored by Northwestern's Center of Food Allergy and Asthma Research. This includes diet assessment for young children with and without food allergies as well as developing the study protocols and management of a large, randomized food allergy prevention study during infancy.

Updated November 2025