Healthy diet helps fight asthma

Published on Wednesday 2 June 2010 21:51

CHILDREN who eat a "Mediterranean" diet – one rich in fruit, vegetables and fish – have a lower risk of asthma and wheezing, according to experts.

And eating three or more burgers a week can increase the risk, although this may be linked to other unhealthy habits.

Researchers from Germany, Spain and London examined data from 50,000 children aged eight to 12, collected between 1995 and 2005.

The youngsters included were from 20 counties around the world, including affluent and poorer nations.

Parents were asked about their children's usual diet and whether they had ever been diagnosed with asthma or if they had suffered wheezing.

Almost 30,000 children were tested for allergic reactions using a skin prick test to see if diet directly affected chances of developing common allergies. The experts found diet did not increase the risk of allergies to grass and tree pollen, but did have an effect on asthma and wheeze.

Children who ate a diet rich in fruit had a low rate of wheeze in both rich and poor countries, the study found.

A diet high in fish protected children against wheezing in rich countries, and a diet rich in cooked vegetables protected children in poor countries.