According to the
ISAAC (the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, which is a
unique worldwide epidemiological research programme to investigate asthma,
rhinitis and eczema in children) findings published
online in the respiratory journal Thorax, asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema are increasing in
developing countries and that they have little to do with allergy.
The findings were based on a
study from more than 319,000 teens (13-14 year's old) and 181,000 children (6-7
year's old) from 107 centres in 51 countries.
Three or more
weekly servings of fast foods were linked to a 39% increased risk of severe
asthma among teens and a 27% increased risk among children, as well as to the
severity of rhinitis and eczema.
On the other
hand, fruits seemed to be protective in both age groups across all centres for
all three conditions among children—both current and severe—and for current and
severe wheeze and rhinitis among the teens. Eating three or more weekly
portions was linked to a reduction in symptom severity of between 11% and 14%
among teens and children, respectively.
This might be due to the fact that fast foods contain high levels of
saturated and trans fatty acids, which are known to affect immunity, while
fruits are rich in antioxidants and other beneficial compounds, which are good
for their health.
“If the
association between fast foods and the symptom prevalence of asthma,
rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema is causal,then the findings have major public
health significance owing to the rising consumption of fast foods globally,”
they conclude.
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