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Association Between Mediterranean Diet and the Incidence of Adult-Onset Asthma in the SUN Project: A Spanish
Javier Errasti Viader1,2, Carmen de la Fuente-Arrillaga1,3,4, Arantza Campo Ezquibela5
1Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra-IDISNA, Pamplona, Spain.
Introduction:
Dietary factors have been suggested as drivers of asthma in children and adults. However, evidence is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to explore the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and its association with asthma incidence in the SUN project, an adult cohort of Mediterranean heritage.
Material And Methods:
Dietary habits and asthma diagnosis were collected from the SUN cohort study (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra). Adult-onset asthma was defined as self-reported diagnosis in the last 2 years, recorded in any of the follow-up questionnaires completed every 2 years in adults free of airway disease at baseline. Food frequency questionnaire was assessed at baseline and at 10 years follow up. We measured the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) as an indicator of adherence to the MedDiet. We generated four categories of adherence to the MedDiet based on the MDS (0 to 9 range score). We used multivariable repeated-measurement Cox models adjusted for potential confounders.
Results:
From 17,127 participants followed up for a mean of 12.8 years, 302 (1.76%) reported a new diagnosis of asthma. In the multivariable analysis a significant negative association was seen between the risk of newly diagnosed asthma and the MDS. Those participants with the highest adherence to the MedDiet (MDS ≥ 7 points) showed a lower risk of asthma than those with the lowest adherence (MDS ≤ 2 points) (Hazard Ratio: 0.58; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.36-0.95; p-trend = 0.02).
Conclusion:
To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted in an adult Mediterranean population that has found a significant association between greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet and a lower incidence of asthma in adults.
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