Bounty

Feeding children a diet consisting mainly of fruit, vegetables and fish could help protect them from asthma and wheezing, experts have suggested.

A Mediterranean diet could lower the risk of developing breathing problems, while eating three or more burgers a week could increase the chances - although this may be associated with other unhealthy habits, the researchers said.

Around 50,000 children aged eight to 12 from across 20 countries, including rich and poorer nations, were studied between 1995 and 2005.

The researchers, from Germany, Spain and London, quizzed parents about what their children usually ate and whether they had been diagnosed with asthma or suffered from wheezing.

Using a skin prick test, 30,000 youngsters were tested for allergic reactions to see if their food had a direct effect on their chances of developing common allergies.

Their studies suggested that while children's diets do not raise the chance of allergies to grass and tree pollen, it does have an effect on asthma and wheezing.

Children from both rich and poor countries who eat a lot of fruit have a low rate of wheeze. High fish consumption was beneficial to children in rich countries, helping them counter it, while a diet rich in cooked vegetables had the same effect on children in poor countries.

The research was published in the journal Thorax.

Copyright Press Association 2010