Alcohol linked to asthma risk
Monday September 26th, 2011
People who drink moderate amounts of alcohol may reduce their risk of developing asthma, researchers reported yesterday.
Research
in Denmark involving twins suggests small benefits for the lungs from
drinking up to one unit of alcohol a day.
The study found that teetotallers faced a 1.4 times increased risk of developing the problem - while heavy drinkers faced a 20 per cent increase in risk.
Drinking beer increased risk compared with other forms of alcohol, the researchers said.
The findings were reported to the annual conference of the European Respiratory Society in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
More than 19,000 twins aged between 12 and 41 took part in the eight-year-long study.
Researcher Sofie Lieberoth, of the Bispebjerg Hospital, Denmark, said: "Whilst excessive alcohol intake can cause health problems, the findings of our study suggest that a moderate intake of one to six units can reduce the risk of developing asthma.
"By examining all the factors linked with the development of asthma, we can understand more about what causes the condition and how to prevent it.”
* A second study reported to the conference links belly fat to the development of asthma.
A study of 23,000 people in Norway found that people with large amounts of belly fat - but no overall obesity - faced a 44 per cent increased risk of developing the disease.
Researcher Ben Brumpton, of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said: "It is not yet clear why this association exists.
"Central obesity is closely associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. These factors may play important roles concerning central obesity-related asthma."
*Another study, from the UK, reports that asthma patients who get swine flu stand a better chance of surviving it than other patients if they are admitted to hospital.
Dr Malcolm Semple, from Liverpool University, UK, studied the fate of some 1,500 patients in 75 hospitals. About 25 per cent suffered from asthma.
He said asthma patients seemed to be admitted to hospital earlier than others - often needing support with breathing.
Dr Semple said: "Our results are the first to show that people with pandemic influenza and asthma for which they took regular inhaled steroids required less intensive treatment and had a better chance of recovering from H1N1.
"The prompt admission and appropriate hospital treatment of patients with asthma significantly improved their chance of recovery from pandemic influenza.”
Tags: Allergies & Asthma | Diet & Food | Drug and Alcohol Abuse | Europe | UK News
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