Mediterranean diet and childhood asthma

• Published in: Allergologia et immunopathologia Vol. 44; no. 2; p. 99
• Main Authors: Calatayud-Sáez, F M, Calatayud Moscoso Del Prado, B, Gallego Fernández-Pacheco, J G, González-Martín, C, Alguacil Merino, L F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Spain 01-03-2016
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - prevention & control; Bronchodilator Agents - therapeutic use; Child, Preschool; Diet, Mediterranean - statistics & numerical data; Disease Progression; Drug Utilization - statistics & numerical data; Female; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Infant; Male; Nutrition Assessment; Patient Satisfaction; Prospective Studies; Nutritional assessment; Dietary programme; Mediterranean diet; Bronchial hyperreactivity; Dietary pattern; Childhood asthma
• ISSN: 1578-1267
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aller.2015.04.007

The incidence of bronchial hyperreactivity has increased to one-third of the population in developed countries, which requires the adoption of preventive and therapeutic measures. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of a traditional Mediterranean diet on patients diagnosed with childhood asthma and determine if there is a beneficial effect from this dietary intervention.
Prospective before-after comparison study of 50 girls and 54 boys aged 1-5 years, who were enrolled in the 1-year programme "Learning to Eat from the Mediterranean", designed to promote the adoption of a traditional Mediterranean diet. We studied the clinical and therapeutic variables and anthropometric measurements.
All studied symptomatic indicators (number and intensity of asthmatic attack, infections and hospital admissions) showed a positive and statistically significant evolution of bronchial hyperreactivity from the first weeks of the intervention onwards. Throughout the treatment, 32.2% of patients remained free of crisis, 35.3% of the patients only had one attack throughout the year and 24.9% had two episodes, compared to 4.73 episodes on average in the previous year. The use of inhaled corticosteroids markedly decreased from 3.92 ± 1.61 to 1.11 ± 1.09 times per patient per year (P<0.001) and that of inhaled bronchodilators decreased from 4.14 ± 1.61 to 1.12 ± 1.40 (P<0.001). As a result, the families involved in the programme reported a high level of satisfaction.
The adoption of a traditional Mediterranean diet could contribute significantly to the improvement of patients diagnosed with childhood asthma.