Researchers in Europe have carried out a study and found that children born to mothers who eat a diet with fruits, fish, vegetables and nuts are 78 per cent less likely to develop asthma by the time they attain the age of six compared with women who have a not so healthy diet.

According to the researchers, children’s lung function might be helped when exposed to a high level of antioxidants before birth.

The study, published in the journal Thorax, followed 468 mothers and their children throughout pregnancy until the youngsters were six and a half years old.

The research based on the Spanish island of Menorca, suggested that a diet rich in Mediterranean foods during pregnancy could help children by exposing them to a high level’s of antioxidants. These could help prevent damage to the lung tissue of developing babies.

The researchers said: “Cereals are rich in antioxidant compounds and they have been shown to have a protective effect against asthma in children.

“Similarly, fruits, vegetables and legumes are known to be high sources of antioxidants and may therefore help to protect the airways against oxidative damage.”

Fatty acids found in fish oil are also known to have anti-inflammatory effects and have been linked to a reduced risk of allergies in children, the team said.

They added: “Our results support a protective effect of a high level of adherence to a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy against asthma-like symptoms and atopy in childhood.”

Posted: 01|15|08 at 4:19 pm. Filed under: News.