Fast foods: bad foods for the line, but also for breath

The regular attendance too fast food seems to be associated with an increased risk of developing asthma symptoms, prevent New Zealand researchers specializing in "Allergy" journal.

The significant increase in the number of people suffering from asthma or allergic diseases over the past three decades remains largely unexplained, but is most likely related to changes occurring in the environment or lifestyle, as developments gene are unlikely to appear in a short period of time, remember Dr. Kristen Wickens and colleagues at the University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Assuming the regular attendance of fast foods could be linked to the onset of asthma and allergic diseases, either directly, or because it is usually associated with an increase in body mass index (BMI, a indicator of obesity which is the ratio of the weight of the square of height), this team of researchers conducted a study to clarify this point.

For this, it has analyzed data collected as part of the investigation International study of asthma and allergies in childhood (Isaac), with 1321 children, aged ten to twelve years and lives in Hastings, New Zealand. In particular items were offered on the eating habits of young participants, as well as questions about a possible diagnosis of asthma questionnaires and the existence of asthmatic symptoms. These children also underwent skin prick tests for different environmental allergens and stress tests look for a possible bronchial hyperreactivity.

Calculations of New Zealand researchers have shown (adjusted to take into account the influence of other dietary habits and BMI) the existence of an association between the consumption of hamburgers and asthmatic symptoms (episodes of breathing wheezing), and between the consumption of takeaway (which, given the observed population, correspond in most cases to the menus of fast food) and bronchial hyperreactivity.

These associations, which occur in a dose-dependent, however seem independent of BMI, suggesting that the excess risk of asthma observed in familiar fast food is not the result of factors related to obesity.

For New Zealand researchers, this could be explained by the fact that the frequent consumption of hamburgers, takeaway and sodas would be as indicators of socio-economic characteristics or habits. If the influence of certain factors often associated with this type of unbalanced diet could be considered in some cases (passive smoking, education level of parents), other parameters have not been included in the calculation.

Another hypothesis is the high salt content of these foods could be among the leaders, since various studies have highlighted the link between salt diet and wheezing.

No association, however, was observed between asthma symptoms and the consumption of other food groups (meat, fish, raw or cooked vegetables, fresh fruit or juice form), reported the New Zealand researchers .

The possible protective effect of foods rich in antioxidants (especially vitamin C) or polyunsaturated fatty acids introduced, highlighted in previous work, therefore has not been confirmed in this study, they said. According to them, future research undertaken to assess the impact of diet on the risk of asthma should focus particularly on products whose consumption has increased in recent years, and strive to conduct a detailed analysis of eating habits through daily diaries.