More research into dietary associations with allergy

Investigations continue into whether fruit and vegetable consumption reduces the risk of allergic disease in children. The latest study provides evidence obtained from a Swedish birth cohort study at the 8-year follow-up.

Results from the population of 2,447 children showed an inverse relationship between total fruit consumption and rhinitis, whereas no association was observed for total vegetable intake. The study also looked at associations with individual foods, and found intake of apples/pears and carrots was inversely associated with rhinitis, asthma, and atopic sensitisation.

However, the data showed disease-related dietary modification contributed to this association. After exclusion of children who reported food-related allergic symptoms, most of the observed inverse associations in the study became nonsignificant.

Reference: Rosenlund et al. 2011. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.11.019