Mediterranean Diet Enriched with Fatty Fish Could Reduce Asthma Symptoms in Children

A Mediterranean diet supplemented with two fatty fish meals per week might be a potential strategy for reducing airway inflammation in childhood asthma.

Eating fish such as salmon, trout and sardines as part of a healthy diet can reduce asthma symptoms in children. Image credit: Dana Tentis.

Childhood asthma is the most common respiratory disorder worldwide, being associated with increased morbidity and a decreased quality of life.

Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties; however, their efficacy in asthma is controversial.

La Trobe University researcher Maria Papamichael and her colleagues set out to examine the efficacy of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with high omega-3 ‘fatty’ fish in asthmatic children.

“We already know that a diet high in fat, sugar and salt can influence the development and progression of asthma in children and now we have evidence that it’s also possible to manage asthma symptoms through healthy eating,” Papamichael said.

“Fatty fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids which have anti-inflammatory properties.”

“Our study shows eating fish just twice a week can significantly decrease lung inflammation in children with asthma.”

The study involved 64 children from Athens in Greece, aged 5 to 12 who had mild asthma.

Papamichael and co-authors divided the children into two groups and instructed around half to eat two meals of cooked fatty fish (of at least 150 grams) as part of the Mediterranean diet every week for six months. The remaining children followed their normal diet.

At the end of the study, the researchers found the group who ate fish had reduced their bronchial inflammation by 14 units. Above 10 units is significant under international guidelines.

“Asthma is the most common respiratory disease in young people and one of the leading reasons for hospitalizations and trips to emergency for children,” said study co-author Dr. Bircan Erbas, of La Trobe University.

“Unfortunately, the rate of asthma worldwide remains high. It is imperative that we identify new therapies that we can use alongside conventional asthma medications.”

“Following a traditional Mediterranean diet that is high in plant-based foods and oily fish could be an easy, safe and effective way to reduce asthma symptoms in children,” said co-author Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos, also from La Trobe University.

The study is published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.

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M.M. Papamichael et al. Efficacy of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with fatty fish in ameliorating inflammation in paediatric asthma: a randomised controlled trial. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, published online October 30, 2018; doi: 10.1111/jhn.12609