Diet rich in fish helps fight asthma

A clinical trial led by La Trobe University showed salmon, trout and sardines as part of a healthy diet.

Healthy diet with rich fish had improved lung function after six months.

Lead researcher Maria Papamichael from La Trobe said the findings added to a growing body of evidence that a healthy diet could be a potential therapy for childhood asthma.

"We already know that a diet is high in fat, sugar and salt can influence the development and progression of asthma in children and we have evidence that it is also possible to manage asthma symptoms through healthy eating," Ms Papamichael said.

"Fatty fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids which have anti-inflammatory properties." Our study shows eating fish just in the morning.

Co-researcher and Head of The Trobe's School of Allied Health, Catherine Catherine Itsiopoulos, said the results were promising.

"Following a traditional Mediterranean diet that is high in plant-based foods and may be an easy, safe and effective way to reduce asthma symptoms in children," Professor Itsiopoulos said.

Associate Professor Bircan Erbas, from The Trobe's School of Psychology and Public Health, is an expert in asthma and allergies, who co-supervised the trial.

"Asthma is the most common respiratory disease in young people and one of the leading reasons for hospitalizations and trips to emergency for children," Associate Professor Erbas said.

"Unfortunately, it is imperative that we identify new therapies that we can use as usual asthma medications."

The clinical trial involved 64 children from Athens in Greece, aged 5 to 12 who had mild asthma. Researchers from Australia and Greece divided into two groups of children at least 150 grams of Greek Mediterranean diet every week for six months. The remaining children followed by their normal diet.

At the end of the trial, they found the group who had reduced their bronchial inflammation by 14 units. Above 10 units is important under international guidelines.

Read the study's findings in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.

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More information:
Mr. M. Papamichael et al. Efficacy of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with fatty fish in ameliorating inflammation in pediatric asthma: a randomized controlled trial, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics (2018). DOI: 10.1111 / jhn.12609