The childhood experience that may lower your risk of asthma and eczema

Evidence suggests spending time with animals could lower children’s risk of allergies - (Getty/iStock)

As the number of people with allergies grows worldwide, scientists are trying to work out precisely how and why these conditions – such as asthma and eczema – develop.

One long-standing idea is the “hygiene hypothesis”. This suggests our modern indoor lifestyles are to blame, as they limit our early exposure to germs and allergens which help train the immune system.