Diet and asthma in Lebanese schoolchildren: A cross‐sectional study

• Published in: Pediatric pulmonology 2019-06, Vol.54 (6), p.688-697
• Main Authors: Malaeb, Diana, Hallit, Souheil, Sacre, Hala, Malaeb, Bassem, Hallit, Rabih, Salameh, Pascale
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Asthma; Asthma - epidemiology; Asthma - etiology; Bread; Carbonated Beverages; Child; children; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Feeding Behavior; Female; food; Humans; Lebanon; Lebanon - epidemiology; Male; Meat; Olive Oil; Snacks; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 8755-6863; 1099-0496
• DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24280

Objectives The causes of the global increase in asthma in children are unknown. It has been hypothesized that diet is an important factor that may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The objective was to evaluate the association between diet and current asthma among Lebanese children. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 1000 children recruited from public and private schools in Lebanon. Of the total enrolled participants, 107 children were diagnosed with current asthma and were analyzed. The food frequency questionnaire was used to assess participants’ dietary habits. Results The consumption of sweets ≥3 times weekly (ORa = 5.42), white bread ≥3 times weekly (ORa = 26.38), and olive oil daily (ORa = 9.80) were associated with higher odds of current asthma. Drinking carbonated beverages occasionally (ORa = 0.25) and ≥3 times per week (ORa = 0.03) was significantly associated with lower odds of current asthma. Adhering to Mediterranean diet (occasional, >3 times weekly and daily) was significantly associated with lower odds of current asthma compared to never consuming Mediterranean diet (ORa = 0.23 and ORa = 0.22, respectively). The occasional consumption of bread was significantly associated with higher odds of current asthma (ORa = 8.2), whereas daily consumption was significantly associated with lower odds (ORa = 0.336). Moreover, the occasional, ≥3 times weekly and daily consumption of meat were significantly associated with higher odds of current asthma (ORa = 9.6; ORa = 5.1 and ORa = 4.5), respectively. An occasional consumption of junk food was significantly associated with lower odds of current asthma (ORa = 0.044), whereas a daily consumption was associated with higher odds. Conclusion Adhering to certain diets might be associated with higher odds of current asthma.