January 20, 2005 – A team of European researchers claim to have established a link between high consumption of margarine and the onset of asthma in adults, especially in men1.
An observational study exploring the effects of various nutrients and their dietary sources on the onset of asthma in adults allowed researchers to make this association.
Participants who consumed up to 4.1 g of margarine per day were almost twice as likely to have asthma as other study participants. The association was found to be stronger in men than in women. The authors collected this data by performing a two-year follow-up of 105 people, aged 35 to 65, with asthma, a condition confirmed by a physician’s diagnosis. Participants agreed to complete questionnaires about their diet and their responses were compared to a control group of 420 individuals who did not have asthma.
The results of this study corroborate those of previous epidemiological studies which found an association between the consumption of margarine and the onset of asthma in children, especially in boys. The authors also looked at the dietary intake of antioxidants, but did not observe a significant effect on the risk of developing asthma, unlike other researchers.
In recent years, the prevalence of asthma in children and adults has been on the rise in both Europe and North America. It seems that the risk factors are mainly of two types: genetic and environmental. In recent years, scientists have been studying food allergies and diet in order to identify possible causes of the onset of asthma.
Marie france Coutu – PasseportSanté.net
1. Nagel G, Linseisen J, Dietary intake of fatty acids, antioxidants and selected food groups and asthma in adults, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2005, Vol. 59, No 1, 8-15.
