Fish consumption as part of diet can reduce asthma symptoms in children, shows a test

A clinical trial conducted by La Trobe University has shown that eating fish like salmon, trout and sardines as part of a healthy diet can reduce asthma symptoms in children .

The international study found that children with asthma who followed a healthy Mediterranean diet enriched with oily fish had improved lung function after six months.

Lead researcher Maria Papamichael of La Trobe said the results of this study add to a growing body of evidence that a healthy diet could be a potential treatment for asthma in children. ;child.

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

"Oily fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.Our study shows that eating fish twice a week can dramatically reduce lung inflammation in asthmatic children."

Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos, a professor and researcher at La Trobe's School of Allied Health, said the results were promising.

"Following a traditional Mediterranean diet rich in plant-based foods and oily fish could be an easy, safe and effective way to reduce asthma symptoms in children," said Professor Itsiopoulos.

Associate Professor Bircan Erbas, of the School of Psychology and Public Health at The Trobe, is an asthma and allergy expert who oversaw the test.

"Asthma is the most common respiratory disease among young people and one of the leading causes of hospitalizations and emergency stays for children," said Associate Professor Erbas.

"Unfortunately, the rate of asthma in the world remains high.It is imperative to identify new treatments that we can use alongside conventional drugs for asthma."

The clinical trial involved 64 children from Athens Greece aged 5 to 12 years with mild asthma. Australian and Greek researchers divided the children into two groups and asked about half to eat two meals of cooked fatty fish (at least 150 grams) as part of the Greek Mediterranean diet, every week for six months. The other children followed their normal diet.

At the end of the test, they found that the group that ate fish had reduced their bronchial inflammation by 14 units. Above 10 units is significant in terms of international guidelines.