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High-fat diets are bad for the arteries and the waistline, but new research shows it is also bad for those suffering with asthma. Food that are heavy and high in fat have a double whammy effect on asthmatics by causing inflammation of the airway and inhibiting their response to albuterol, a common asthma medication.
According to the Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of asthma increased by approximately 75 percent between the years of 1980 and 1994. Approximately 300 million people around the world are estimated to suffer from asthma, an the World Health Organization projects that this number will grow to approximately 400 million by the year 2025. Finding out the triggers for asthma is important, as are new therapies.
Australian researchers with the University of Newcastle presented evidence this weekend at a health conference in New Orleans that high-fat foods play a role in airway inflammation. Asthma occurs when the lungs become inflamed and constricted. When the airway is also inflamed, there is a significant impact on already difficult breathing conditions.
Typical asthma irritants include: cold air, tobacco smoke or other irritating inhalants, emotional stress, infections, some medications, and indigestion with stomach acid. Hamburgers and fries can probably be added to the list, as well as a whole host of other unhealthy foods.
The study looked at the effects of diet on asthma, comparing one group who ate burgers and hash browns against a group who ate low-fat yogurt. Not only was there an 800-calorie disparity between the two meals, but the fat content had almost a 40 percent gap, with the first group ingesting 52 percent of calories from fat, while the yogurt group weighed in with 13 percent of calories from fat.
When tested, the high-fat group has an increased amount of neutrophils in their airway. These immune cells can trigger inflammation in the airways. When this group was treated with asthma medication albuterol three to four hours after the meal, they were found to have a lessened response. Further research is needed to determine why the medication doesn’t respond as well after a high-fat diet.
The long and the short—or the high and the low—of it, is that asthma sufferers would be better served by avoiding a high-fat diet. A good place to start in changing your lifestyle and eating low-fat foods is our HealthNews diet pages. Ideas, stories, and diet plans are available that could meet your needs.
Source: Health news
According to the Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of asthma increased by approximately 75 percent between the years of 1980 and 1994. Approximately 300 million people around the world are estimated to suffer from asthma, an the World Health Organization projects that this number will grow to approximately 400 million by the year 2025. Finding out the triggers for asthma is important, as are new therapies.
Australian researchers with the University of Newcastle presented evidence this weekend at a health conference in New Orleans that high-fat foods play a role in airway inflammation. Asthma occurs when the lungs become inflamed and constricted. When the airway is also inflamed, there is a significant impact on already difficult breathing conditions.
Typical asthma irritants include: cold air, tobacco smoke or other irritating inhalants, emotional stress, infections, some medications, and indigestion with stomach acid. Hamburgers and fries can probably be added to the list, as well as a whole host of other unhealthy foods.
The study looked at the effects of diet on asthma, comparing one group who ate burgers and hash browns against a group who ate low-fat yogurt. Not only was there an 800-calorie disparity between the two meals, but the fat content had almost a 40 percent gap, with the first group ingesting 52 percent of calories from fat, while the yogurt group weighed in with 13 percent of calories from fat.
When tested, the high-fat group has an increased amount of neutrophils in their airway. These immune cells can trigger inflammation in the airways. When this group was treated with asthma medication albuterol three to four hours after the meal, they were found to have a lessened response. Further research is needed to determine why the medication doesn’t respond as well after a high-fat diet.
The long and the short—or the high and the low—of it, is that asthma sufferers would be better served by avoiding a high-fat diet. A good place to start in changing your lifestyle and eating low-fat foods is our HealthNews diet pages. Ideas, stories, and diet plans are available that could meet your needs.
Source: Health news
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