"Med diet 'could prevent asthma'", BBC News, April 5, 2007,
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6525237.stm

Eating a Mediterranean diet could help protect children from
respiratory allergies and asthma, a study suggests.

UK, Greek and Spanish researchers assessed the diet and health of
almost 700 children living in rural areas of Crete, where such
conditions are rare.

They found those with a diet rich in fruit and vegetables were
protected against both conditions.

UK experts said the study, in Thorax, added to existing evidence that
diet could help control asthma symptoms.

More than five million people in the UK currently have asthma, and one
in 10 children is affected.

Asthma 'rare'

The research was carried out by experts from the UK's National Heart
and Lung Institute, the University of Crete, Venezelio General
Hospital, in Crete, and the Centre for Research in Environmental
Epidemiology, in Barcelona.

The team wanted to examine why children in some parts of Europe, such
as the UK, get asthma while others, in places like Crete, do not.

They looked at the incidence of asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, and
of allergic rhinitis, caused by dust mite or pet allergies.

Parents of the children, who were aged between seven and 18, were also
asked how often they ate 58 foods in nine categories; vegetables,
fruits, nuts, fish, cereal, dairy products, meat, poultry and
margarines and oils.

The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables and fruit and low in
saturated fats.

Skin allergies are relatively common in Crete - meaning that, in
tests, children react to allergens such as dust mites.

But these do not appear to translate into respiratory allergies, such
as asthma and allergic rhinitis.

The research found 80% of the children ate fresh fruit, and over two-
thirds of them fresh vegetables, at least twice a day.

Nuts 'beneficial'

Eating oranges, apples, tomatoes and grapes each day, which around 300
children did, was shown to have a protective effect against wheezing
and allergic rhinitis.

Red grape skin contains high levels of antioxidants as well as
resveratrol, a potent polyphenol, known to curb inflammatory activity,
say the authors.

Children who ate nuts - a rich source of vitamin E - at least three
times a week, again just over 300, were less likely to wheeze.

Vitamin E is the body's main defence against cell damage caused by
free radicals.

Nuts also contain high levels of magnesium, which other research has
suggested may protect against asthma and boost lung power.

However, high consumption of margarine more than once a week (331
children) doubled the chances of asthma and allergic rhinitis,
compared with those who ate it less frequently, the findings showed.

Dr Paul Cullinan, of the Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart
and Lung Institute, said: "It may be that diet is an important link in
translating skin test responses to actual allergies.

"The message of the study is that foods with high antioxidant levels
are good for you."

Leanne Male, assistant director of research at Asthma UK said: "The
results of this study add to the existing evidence which indicates
that a healthy diet can play an important role in the control of
asthma symptoms.

"They demonstrate that the Mediterranean diet, which traditionally
contains higher levels of fresh fruit and vegetables, can have a
beneficial effect on asthma symptoms in children.

"This benefit is thought to be linked to the vitamins and antioxidants
which they contain and Asthma UK is currently funding a number of
research projects to further explore this association."