Letting your child eat an unhealthy diet may have an effect on his chance of developing asthma. If your child's diet lacks certain nutrients and emphasizes a combination of unhealthy foods, asthma may result. If you are concerned about the type of diet your child should be eating for asthma prevention, consult your pediatrician.
Fruits and Vegetables
The vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can help reduce inflammation, which contributes to the development of asthma. Fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals, substances that work to protect your lungs from damage that leads to inflammation. In addition, vitamin A can help control your body's production of mucus. The combination of mucus and inflammation can lead to an asthma attack. Children should eat two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables each day.
Dairy
Getting an adequate intake of calcium and magnesium can encourage your lungs to remain healthy and function adequately. Registered dietitian Colleen Pierre of Parents.com says that adequate calcium intake may reduce the likelihood of developing asthma. A study published by the "Journal of Asthma" in 2010, likened lung improvements to higher intakes of magnesium. Dairy products, including milk, contain both calcium and magnesium. Your child should get 80 mg of magnesium until the age of 4, when the recommendation increases to 130 mg. At age 9, it increases to 240 mg. Calcium intake should be 500 mg until age 4, when it increases to 800 mg. At age 9, intake raises to 1,300 mg per day.
Fish and Polyunsaturated Fats
Your body needs two polyunsaturated fats in your diet -- omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The average American diet is lacking in omega-3 fatty acids but abundant in omega-6 fatty acids. An uneven ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fats can contribute to inflammation in the body. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, nuts and vegetable oil, while omega-6 fats are found in corn and sunflower oils and also used regularly in the production of cookies, chips and crackers. Balance your child's intake of omega fatty acids to include more fish, which should be eaten twice per week. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 should be 2.5-to-1, says Pierre.
Whole Grains
Increasing your child's intake of whole grains as sources of carbohydrates can lead to a healthier respiratory system and ward off asthma, according to a study published in "Thorax" in 2005. The study looked at the effects of fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish and whole grains in 598 children 8 to 13 years old. The results indicated that a greater amount of whole-grain consumption is related to a reduction in asthma. The recommendations from the USDA are to provide half of daily carbohydrates as whole grains, which can come from oats, bread, pasta or rice.
References
- Parents.com; Anti-Asthma Diet; Colleen Pierre, R.D.; 2011
- NewsWise.com: For Allergy and Asthma Sufferers, A Change in Diet Can Be A Key To Comfort; Dr. Fred Pescatore, MD.; April 2011
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Magnesium Supplements May Benefit People With Asthma; 2010
- "Thorax"; Diet and Asthma in Dutch School Children; C. Tabak, et al.; 2006
- KidsHealth.org: The Food Guide Pyramid; Mary L. Gavin, MD; January 2009
