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Research: PATEL and others,
Listed in Issue 129
Abstract
PATEL and others, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK, have studied the relationship between antioxidants and asthma.
Background
Several antioxidant nutrients have been reported to be inversely associated with asthma. The aim of this study was to assess the independent associations of these nutrients with asthma in adults.
Methodology
A nested case-control study was performed in 515 adults with asthma and 515 controls using dietary data obtained from 7 day food diaries. The main outcome measures were diagnosed asthma and self-reported wheeze.
Results
Asthma sufferers were similar to controls in age, sex, social class, and daily energy intake but had a lower median intake of fruit (132.1 v 149.1 grams/day, p< or =0.05). 51.5% of those assessed reported zero consumption of citrus fruit. Relative to these individuals, people who consumed >46.3 g/day had a reduced risk of diagnosed and symptomatic asthma (Odds Ratios 0.59 and 0.51, respectively). In nutrient analysis, dietary vitamin C and manganese were inversely and independently associated with symptomatic asthma (Odds Ratio per 20% increase 0.88 for vitamin C and 0.85 for manganese), but only manganese was independently associated with diagnosed asthma (Odds Ratio 0.86). The levels of vitamin C in blood were significantly lower in asthma sufferers than in controls (p = 0.003).
Conclusion
Symptomatic asthma in adults is associated with a low dietary intake of fruit, the antioxidant nutrients vitamin C and manganese, and low blood vitamin C levels.
References
Patel BD, Welch AA, Bingham SA, Luben RN, Day NE, Khaw KT, Lomas DA, Wareham NJ. Dietary antioxidants and asthma in adults. Thorax 61 (5): 388-393, May 2006.
Comment
How simple and effective it could be to incorporate dietary advice to asthmatics to increase their dietary intake of vitamin C and manganese. Can you imagine this happening with the average GP or Asthma Nurse?
