CNN: Mom's sweet tooth may be linked to child's allergies, study says

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Sheena Cruickshank, senior lecturer in immunology at the University of Manchester and a representative for the British Society for Immunology, said it is unclear from the study findings how strong the effect is.

"More studies will be needed to work out if there is any causation in this relationship," said Cruickshank, who was not involved in the new research. "Atopic diseases, such as allergy and asthma, are complex and associated with many genetic and environmental effects, including the microbes and pollutants we are exposed to."

Bacteria are commonly found within the digestive tracts of all humans. When it comes to babies, Cruickshank noted that it is well-known that this bacterial content "is influenced by how a baby is delivered, the type of milk the baby is fed as well as their diet as they grow older."

"Future studies should look to take these variables into account so we can understand the full relationship between maternal diet during pregnancy and allergic disease in the offspring," Cruickshank said.