Dietary fat linked to asthma

Mon March 9th, 2009

Researchers say it is possible that eating a high-fat diet could hold back the symptoms of allergies.

Too much fat in the diet may cause obesity, which is linked with a higher asthma risk, but fatty food itself may help reduce the risk, according to the new findings.

Scientists from Edinburgh University, UK, ran tests on non-obese mice with asthma to discover whether a higher-fat diet could limit their symptoms. The mice were fed a diet with either 11 per cent or 58 per cent of the calories coming from fat. Asthma symptoms such as lung inflammation were measured.

The scientists report that there was a "significant reduction" in symptoms among the high-fat fed mice. Lung inflammation was reduced, they report in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy.

The results indicate that high-fat dietary content alters immune responses to allergens in the lungs, they write. However, this level of fat in the diet may also compromise the body's immune system.

Study leader Dr Annick de Vries said: "If people eat a high fat diet prior to becoming obese it may well be that they have fewer allergy symptoms, but this could also be indicative of an immune system that is not working properly and more research is needed.

"The research looked at the impact of fat in the diet as opposed to the effects of obesity. We certainly would not advocate eating a high fat diet because of its link to obesity implications and numerous health implications such as increased risk of heart disease and diabetes."

de Vries, A. et al. High-fat feeding redirects cytokine responses and decreases allergic airway eosinophilia. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, published online January 22, 2009.

Tags: UK News | Allergies & Asthma | Diet & Food

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