Studies suggest that eating more fish in childhood can halve the risk of developing asthma.

According to a team of scientists, eating salmon, mackerel, and sardines regularly as a child can halve the risk of developing asthma as you get older.

Queen Mary University London Researchers have studied data from 4,500 children born in the United Kingdom in the 1990s. These data have been monitored by scientists since their birth.

According to a new study, people who consumed most of the heavy omega 3 fish were less likely to develop life-threatening respiratory illness.

In the UK, young families, including children aged 5-11, consume the least amount of fish, with only 25% of homes eating fish at least twice a week.

According to Queen Mary researchers, one in eleven young people (1.1 million children) are treated for asthma, and most adult cases begin in childhood.

People in the top quarters of fish consumption had a 51% lower risk of developing asthma than their peers who consumed less oily fish.Stock image

Senior author Professor Safe Shaheen said: ‘Asthma is the most common chronic illness in childhood and there is currently no way to prevent it.

“A poor diet can increase risk, but so far most studies have taken” snapshots “to measure diet and asthma in a short period of time.

“Instead, we measured our diet and tracked our children over the years to find out who developed asthma and who did not.”

Seafood is rich in healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Most oily varieties such as kipper, trout and fresh tuna.

The findings are based on more than 4,500 participants in the Children of the 90s program, which tracked the lives of young people born in South West England to learn more about diseases, including asthma.

People in the top quarters of fish consumption had a 51% lower risk of developing asthma than their peers who consumed less oily fish.

It was applied to individuals with the gene variant FADS (fatty acid desaturase)-carried by more than half of the children involved in the study.

Common mutations significantly reduce the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood.

These gene mutations, known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), suppress inflammation.

Seafood is rich in healthy omega 3 fatty acids.Most oily varieties such as kipper, mackerel, trout and fresh tuna

A study published in the European Respiratory Journal estimated EPA and DHA intake from 7-year-old fish from a food intake frequency questionnaire.

This was compared to the proportion of new cases of asthma diagnosed by doctors aged 11-14 years.

Shaheen said:

The results were confirmed in an independent cohort of people born in Sweden.

Shaheen’s team, including colleagues from the University of Bristol, the University of Southampton, and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, will see if eating fish can prevent asthma attacks in people who are already symptomatic.

The NHS spends about £ 1 billion annually on the treatment and care of asthma patients.

Previous studies have found that children with asthma who follow a Mediterranean diet rich in fatty fish have better lung function.

There is increasing evidence that a healthy diet may be a cure for childhood asthma.

Other studies have shown that regular intake of oily fish reduces blood fat, which triggers heart attacks and strokes, by more than a quarter.

Omega 3 fatty acids are also known to raise mood and reduce the risk of depression.

They are essential for the proper functioning of the brain and body-preventing dementia, diabetes and arthritis.

Dr. Alistair McNish, an associate professor of cardiovascular pharmacology at the University of Reading, said the success of oily fish in reducing the risk of asthma depends on the gene.

‘This interesting data shows that the higher the consumption of fish in early childhood, and therefore the higher the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, the lower the incidence of asthma. However, only children with a common genetic composition associated with low levels of omega-3 in the blood (FADS genotype).

Dr. Alistair McNish, an associate professor of cardiovascular pharmacology at the University of Reading, said the success of oily fish in reducing the risk of asthma depends on the gene.Stock image

“There was no association between fish intake and asthma in the entire cohort and in children without this gene. This is a previous cohort study in which there was no association between fish intake and asthma. Is consistent with. “

‘These findings do not constitute evidence that eating more fish in childhood prevents asthma. “The level of omega 3 consumption in the UK is often below the recommended level,” McNish added.

“Observations are consistent with other areas of omega 3 research, such as the cardiovascular system, where beneficial effects are seen only in people with low or low blood levels of omega 3.”

The survey results are published in European Respiratory Journal..