by Playfuls Staff |
5th April 2007
A Mediterranean diet high in produce and nuts may help protect children in Greece from wheezing and other asthma and [more] allergy symptoms, researchers said.
A study of almost 700 children in Crete found that those who ate foods such as olive oil and whole grains had fewer symptoms, The Independent reported.
The study was based on questionnaires filled out by parents on their children's' diet and respiratory problems.
The study found that diet had the strongest protection on allergic rhinitis, which causes a runny or stuffed nose. Children who ate nuts at least three times a week were less likely to wheeze, the researchers reported.
Children with a high consumption of margarine were twice as likely to have asthma and allergic rhinitis, the study said, The Independent reported.
"A high intake of fruit, vegetables and nuts may have a protective role on the prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and allergic rhinitis," said the study, which was published in the journal Thorax.
© 2007 UPI
