Greater fruit and vegetables consumption, and adherence to a Mediterranean type of diet reduces the risk for asthma in children; a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the consumption of fruits, vegetables and adherence to the Mediterranean diet with childhood asthma development and severity. A systematic literature search and synthesis of the results was performed throughout the last two decades. A total of 45 studies were analysed and 392,797 children were included. Greater adherence to a Mediterranean type of diet was inversely associated with asthmatic outcomes (OR:0.71,95% CI:0.54,0.88). Regarding fruits, vegetables consumption, a significant inverse association between increased fruits or vegetable intake and asthma was found (OR:0.82,95% CI:0.77,0.86; 0.84,95% CI:0.77,0.91, respectively). Fruits and vegetables consumption combined was also inversely related to all asthmatic outcomes (OR:0.65,95% CI:0.49,0.78). The level of heterogeneity was moderate-to-high (30%–97%). The present review and meta-analysis show a trend to an inverse association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet or a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables and the occurrence of childhood asthma but with a low level of certainty.

Keywords:

• Asthma
• wheezing
• mediterranean diet
• fruits
• vegetables
• healthy
• children
• adolescents

Authors contributions

Two authors (CK and GA) independently reviewed the titles, and abstracts of the extracted articles for adherence to selection criteria; disagreements were addressed with the assistance of the rest two authors (DP and KD).

Ethics statement

This study was conducted according to the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki and all procedures involving research study participants were approved by the School of Health Sciences Ethics Committee. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects/patients participating in all studies included in this review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

None.