Keep your kids breathing easy

Better Nutrition, April, 2007

Adding fish and whole grains to children's diets may prevent the development of asthma, the most common chronic childhood disease, says the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. According to a new study, Dutch researchers asked detailed questions about diet to parents of about 600 10-year-olds.

Roughly 17 percent of children who ate the least whole grains and fish had asthma, while only 3 percent from the group eating the most fish and whole grains reported symptoms. Eating fish helps boost omega-3 fatty acids, which control inflammation (often an underlying cause of asthma). Whole grains are rich in antioxidant vitamins, which may also decrease lung inflammation. Researchers say children should have 4 oz. of whole-grain products daily and 4 oz. of fish weekly. See p. 40 for more ways to prevent asthma.