How
Diet Could Play a Vital Role
in Childhood Asthma and Allergies
Recent research findings suggest that a diet rich in
vegetables, such as tomatoes and aubergines, and fish can help cut asthma
and allergy incidence in children.
Researchers from the Department of Social Medicine at the University of
Crete, Greece, studied the diet of 460 Spanish children.
They discovered that children who consumed more than 40 grams of 'fruity
vegetables' a day - namely tomatoes, aubergines, cucumber, green beans
and courgettes - were much less likely to suffer from childhood asthma.
And children who consumed more than 60 grams of omega-3 containing fish
daily also suffered less childhood allergies.
The study adds to a body of evidence supporting the health benefits of
omega-3 and a diet high in vegetables. Dietary omega-3 has also been linked
to having an anti-cancer effect as well as offering Alzheimer's protection.
This is not the first time a diet rich in 'fruity vegetables' has
been linked to having the potential to reduce the risk of respiratory
conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitic symptoms, and wheeze.
However, this study claims to be unique because it
assessed maternal dietary habits during pregnancy as well as children's
dietary habits.
From pregnancy to childhood
Lead researcher Dr Leda Chatzi said: "Because we studied the children
from pregnancy to childhood, we were able to include a wide range of elements
in our analysis, including maternal diet during pregnancy, breastfeeding,
smoking, the mother's health history, parental education and social class."
Researchers followed the progress of the children, on the Spanish island
of Menorca, at regular intervals from before they were born until they
were six-and-a-half.
Rich servings of fish and vegetables are also found in the Mediterranean
diet, which too has been linked to a wealth of health benefits, such as
helping Alzheimer's disease sufferers to live longer.
Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidant vitamins such as
vitamins C, E and carotenoids, and other antioxidants such as selenium
and flavonoids, that are thought to reduce airway inflammation by protecting
airway cells from endogenous and exogenous oxidative damage, the researchers
said.
They found that when an average daily intake was relatively high for fruits
(177 g) and fish (54 g), and moderate for vegetables (59 g) a 'beneficial
effect' was found on respiratory conditions.
They added: "When we simultaneously included fruity vegetables
and fish intake in the multivariate models, results remained very similar,
showing an independent beneficial effect on the prevalence of atopy and
wheeze."
However, they found that no other fruits or vegetables were significantly
associated with wheeze or allergy prevalence.
Dr Chatzi added: "The biological mechanisms that underlie the
protective affect of these foods is not fully understood, but we believe
that the fruity vegetables and fish reduce the inflammation associated
with asthma and allergies."
And another thing
The long-term use of mobile phones could be linked to an increased risk
of cancer, according to evidence disclosed by scientists recently.
Britain's largest investigation into mobile phone use
found 'a very faint hint' that people who had used them for more
than 10 years faced a bigger incidence of brain tumours. The research
is constrained by the fact that cancer has a long latency period, and
mobile phones have not been in use long enough to rule out a risk.
Agora Lifestyles Ltd, Health Sciences Institute. 25th September 2007
