Children Who Frequently Eat Western Fast Food Are More Likely to Develop Asthma
Children Who Frequently Eat Western Fast Food Are More Likely to Develop Asthma
Scientists from Scotland and Saudi Arabia recently reported that children who frequently consume unbalanced Western fast food are more likely to develop asthma.
In a report published in the British medical journal *Thorax*, researchers studied the dietary habits and asthma incidence rates among Saudi children. Comparing 100 asthmatic children with 200 healthy children, they found that children with insufficient intake of vegetables, milk, vitamin E, and minerals had significantly higher asthma rates. Even after excluding factors such as family income and parental smoking habits, children with low vegetable and vitamin E intake had a 2 to 3 times higher incidence rate than others.
The survey revealed that urban children who frequently eat fast food have higher asthma rates, whereas rural children maintaining traditional Saudi diets have lower rates. Traditional Saudi cuisine includes lamb and beef, rice, vegetables, and fruits.
Additionally, over the past 30 years, asthma incidence among Scottish children has sharply increased, and research has linked this rise to reduced intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Asthma is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases worldwide, affecting approximately 150 million people. (Source: MaiBo Health Information)