Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Dietary intake of fatty acids, antioxidants and selected food groups and asthma in adults

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 8–15 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: Within a prospective study, we explored the associations between dietary intake of fatty acids, antioxidants and relevant food sources of these nutrients on the clinical manifestation of asthma in adulthood.

Method: A total of 105 newly physician-diagnosed cases of asthma from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heidelberg cohort were identified during follow-up and matched with 420 controls. Baseline dietary intake was obtained by means of validated food frequency questionnaires. The association of dietary intake variables and asthma risk was explored by unconditional logistic regression models.

Results: A high intake of oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) was positively associated with asthma (P-value for trend 0.035), while no significant associations were found for the other dietary fatty acids. Most prominently, a high margarine intake increased the risk of onset of asthma in adulthood (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3rd tertile: 1.73 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.05–2.87), P for trend=0.050), the effect being stronger in men (2nd tertile: OR=1.66, 3rd tertile: OR=2.51) than in women (2nd tertile: OR=0.91; 3rd tertile: OR=1.47). The dietary intake of antioxidants and their main food sources had no effect on asthma risk.

Conclusions: In summary, the present results provide evidence that even in adulthood a high margarine intake increases the risk of clinical onset of asthma. Whether oleic acid may serve as a proxy for margarine-derived trans-fatty acids (C18:1 t9) remains to be clarified.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  • Athreya BH, Rettig P & Williams WV (1998): Hypophyseal-pituitary-adrenal axis in autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. Immunol. Res. 18, 93–102.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Black PN & Sharpe S (1997): Dietary fat and asthma: Is there a connection? Eur. Resp. J. 10, 6–12.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boeing H, Bohlscheid-Thomas S, Voss S, Schneeweiss S & Wahrendorf J (1997): The relative validity of vitamin intakes derived from a food frequency questionnaire compared to 24h-hour recalls and biological measurements: results from the EPIC pilot study in Germany. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition. Int. J. Epidemiol. 26 (Suppl), S82–S90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boeing H, Korfmann A & Bergmann MM (1999a): Recruitment procedures of EPIC-Germany. European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Ann. Nutr. Metab. 43, 205–215.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boeing H, Wahrendorf J & Becker N (1999b): EPIC-Germany — a source for studies into diet and risk of chronic diseases. European Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Ann. Nutr. Metab. 43, 195–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bohlscheid-Thomas S, Hoting I, Boeing H & Wahrendorf J (1997): Reproducibility and relative validity of energy and macronutrient intake of a food frequency questionnaire developed for the German part of the EPIC project. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int. J. Epidemiol. 26 (Suppl), S71–S81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolte G, Frye C, Hoelscher B, Meyer I, Wjst M & Heinrich J (2001): Margarine consumption and allergy in children. Am. J. Resp. Crit. Care Med. 163, 277–279.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Braun-Fahrlander C, Gassner M, Grize L, Takken-Sahli K, Neu U, Stricker T, Varonier HS, Wuthrich B & Sennhauser FH (2004): No further increase in asthma, hay fever and atopic sensitisation in adolescents living in Switzerland. Eur. Resp. J. 23, 407–413.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caramori G & Papi A (2004): Oxidants and asthma. Thorax 59, 170–173.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colandre ME, Diez RS & Bernal CA (2003): Metabolic effects of trans fatty acids on an experimental dietary model. Br. J. Nutr. 98, 631–638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connor WE (2000): Importance of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 71 (Suppl), S171–S175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Da Silva JA (1999): Sex hormones and glucocorticoids: Interactions with the immune ystem. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 876, 102–117.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Douwes J & Pearce N (2002): Asthma and the westernisation ‘package’. Int. J. Epidemiol. 31, 1098–1102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dworski R (2000): Oxidative Stress in Asthma. Thorax 55 (Suppl), S51–S53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisner MD, Katz PP, Yelin EH, Shiboski SC & Blanc PD (2001a): Risk factors for the hospitalization among adults with asthma: the influence of sociodemographic factors and asthma severity. Resp. Res. 3, 53–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisner MD, Yelin EH, Trupin L & Blanc PD (2001b): Asthma and smoking status in a population-based study of California adults. Public Health Rep. 116, 148–157.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) (1996): Variations in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, self-reported asthma attacks, and use of asthma mediators in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). Eur. Resp. J. 9, 687–695.

  • Filipiak B, Heinrich J, Nowak D & Wichman HE (2001): The distribution in specific IgE and the prevalence of allergic symptoms in the 25–64 years old inhabitants of an eastern and a western German city — results from Augsburg and Erfurt. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 17, 77–84.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fogarty A & Britton J (2000): The role of diet in the aetiology of asthma. Clin. Exp. Allergy 30, 615–627.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grassi M, Villani S, Marinoni & for the ECRHS Group (2001): Classification methods for the identification of ‘case’ in epidemiological diagnosis of asthma. Eur. J. Epidemiol 17, 19–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heinrich J, Hoelscher B, Bolte G & Winkler G (2001): Allergic sensitisation and diet: analysis in selected European cities. Eur. Resp. J 17, 395–402.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heinrich J, Richter K, Frye C, Meyer I, Wolke G, Wjst M, Nowak D, Magnussen H & Wichmann HE (2002): European Community Respiratory Health Survey in Adults (ECRHS). Pneumologie 56, 297–303.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hirsch T & Kempe G (1999): Consumption of omega-3 and omega -6 fatty acids in former East and West Germany and changes in East Germany after the reunification. Resp. Med. 93, 213–216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Humbert M, Menz G, Ying S, Corrigan CJ, Robinson DS, Durham SR & Kay AB (1999): The immunopathology of extrinsic (atopic) and intrinsic (non-atopic) asthma: more similarities than differences. Immunol. Today 20, 528–533.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huovinen E, Kaprio J & Koskenvuo M (2003): Factors associated to lifestyle and risk of adult onset asthma. Resp. Med. 97, 273–280.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • James MJ, Gibson RA & Cleland LG (2000): Dietary polysaturated fatty acids and inflammatory mediator production. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 71 (Suppl), S343–S348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kankaanpaa P, Sutas Y, Salminen S, Lichtenstein A & Isolauri E (1999): Dietary fatty acids and allergy. Ann. Med. 31, 282–287.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly FJ, Mudway I, Blomberg A, Frew A & Sandstrom T (1999): Altered lung antioxidant status in patients with mild asthma. Lancet 354, 482–483.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klipstein-Grobusch K, Georg T & Boeing H (1997): Interviewer variability in anthropometric measurements and estimates of body composition. Int. J. Epidemiol. 26, 174–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kogevinas M, Anto JM, Sunyer J, Tobias A, Krumhout H & Burney P (1998): Respiratory symptoms, lung function and use of health services among unemployed young adults in Spain. Spanish group of the European Community Respiratory Health survey. Eur. Resp. J. 11, 1363–1368.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemanske Jr RF & Busse WW (2003): Asthma. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 111 (Suppl), S502–S519.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Linseisen J, Schulze MB, Saadation-Elahi M, Kroke A, Miller AB & Boeing H (2003): Quantity and quality of dietary fat, carbohydrate and fibre intake in the EPIC-Germany cohorts. Ann. Nutr. Metab. 47, 37–46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mensink RP, Zock PL, Kester AD & Katan MB (2003): Effects of dietary fatty acids and carbohydrates on the ratio of serum total to HDL cholesterol and on serum lipids and apolipoproteins: a meta-analysis of 60 controlled trials. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 77, 1146–1155.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nagel G, Nieters A, Becker N & Linseisen J (2003): The influence of dietary intake of fatty acids and antioxidants on hay fever in adults. Allergy 58, 1277–1284.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nieters A, Linseisen J & Becker N (2004): The association of polymorphisms in Th1, Th2 cytokines with hay fever and serum IgE levels in EPIC Heidelberg. Clin. Exp. Allergy 34, 346–353.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peat JK, Toelle BG, Marks GB & Mellis CM (2001): Continuing the debate about measuring asthma in population studies. Thorax 56, 406–411.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Precht D & Molkentin J (1995): Trans fatty acids: implications for health, analytical methods, incidence in edible fats and intake (a review). Die Nahrung. 39, 343–374.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riboli E & Kaaks R (1997): The EPIC project: rationale and study design. European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int. J. Epidemiol. 26 (Suppl), S6–S14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romieu I, Avenel V, Leynaert B, Kauffmann F & Clavel-Chapelon F (2003): Body mass index, change in body silhouette, and risk of asthma in the E3N cohort study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 158, 165–174.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin RN, Navon L & Cassano PA (2004): Relationship of serum antioxidants to asthma prevalence in youth. Am. J. Resp. Crit. Care Med. 169, 393–398.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schafer T, Ruhdorfer S, Weigl L, Wessner D, Heinrich J, Doring A, Wichmann HE & Ring J (2003): Intake of unsaturated fatty acids and HDL cholesterol levels are associated with manifestations of atopy in adults. Clin. Exp. Allergy 33, 1360–1367.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schunemann HJ, McCunn S, Grant BJ, Trevisan M, Muti P & Freudenheim JL (2002): Lung function in relation to intake of carotenoids and other antioxidant vitamins in a population based study. Am. J. Epidemiol. 155, 463–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaheen SO, Sterne JA, Thompson RL, Songhurst CE, Margetts BM & Burney PG (2001): Dietary antioxidants and Asthma in adults. Am. J. Resp. Crit. Care Med. 164, 1823–1828.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sunyer J, Antó JM, Tobias A & Burney P (1999): Generational increase of self-reported first-attack of asthma in fifteen industrialized countries. European Community Respiratory Health Study (ECRHS). Eur. Resp. J. 14, 885–891.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Troisi RJ, Willett WC, Weiss ST, Trichopoulos D, Rosner B & Speizer FE (1995): A prospective study of diet and adult-onset asthma. A prospective cohort study. Am. J. Resp. Crit. Care Med. 151, 1401–1408.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verlato G, Corsico A, Villani S, Cerveri I, Migliore E, Accordini S, Carolei A, Piccioni P, Bugiani M, Lo Cascio V, Marinoni A, Poli A & de Marco R (2003): Is the prevalence of adult asthma and allergic rhinitis still increasing? Results of an Italian study. J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 111, 1232–1238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Mutius E, Martinez FD, Fritzsch C, Nicolai T, Roell G & Thiemann HH (1994): Prevalence of asthma and atopy in two areas of West and East Germany. Am. J. Resp. Crit. Care Med. 149, 358–364.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • von Mutius E, Weiland SK, Fritzsch C, Duhme H & Keil U (1998): Increasing prevalence of hay fever and atopy among children in Leipzig, East Germany. Lancet 351, 862–866.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wakai K, Okamoto K, Tamakoshi A, Lin Y, Nakayama T & Ohno Y (2001): Seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and fatty acid intake: a cross-sectional study in Japan. Ann. Epidemiol. 11, 59–64.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiland SK, von Mutius E, Husing A & Asher MI (1999): Intake of trans fatty acids and prevalence of childhood asthma and allergies in Europe. ISAAC Steering Committee. Lancet 353, 2040–2041.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willet WC & Ascherio A (1994): Trans fatty acids: are the effects only marginal? Am. J. Public Health 84, 722–724.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willet WC (1998): Nutritional Epidemiology 2nd ed. Oxford University Press: New York.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Whitacer CC, Reingold SC & O'Looney PA (1999): A gender gap in autoimmunity. Science 283, 1277–1278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woods RK, Walters EH, Raven JM, Wolfe R, Ireland PD, Thien FC & Abramson MJ (2003): Food and nutrient intakes and asthma risk in young adults. Am. J. Clin. Nutr 78, 414–421.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woods RK, Raven JM, Walters EH, Abramson MJ & Thien FC (2004): Fatty acid levels and risk of asthma in young adults. Thorax 59, 105–110.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the volunteers who participated in EPIC. Furthermore, we thank first of all the EPIC team, Jutta Schmitt and Yvonne Küster, for documentation and D Zoller for the calculation of the food and nutrient data. We thank Bettina Mock for her helpful comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. EPIC is supported by the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum and grants from the European Community (SI2.326938) and Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V. (70-2488), J Linseisen at the TU Munich is supported by the Kurt-Eberhard-Bode-Stiftung.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Epidemiology, DKFZ German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany

    G Nagel & J Linseisen

  2. Unit of Human Nutrition and Cancer Prevention, Technical University of Munich, Germany

    J Linseisen

Authors
  1. G Nagel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J Linseisen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G Nagel.

Additional information

Guarantor: G Nagel.

Contributors: G Nagel analysed the data and wrote the manuscript. J Linseisen provided consultation on the interpretation of the results and commented on the final version.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nagel, G., Linseisen, J. Dietary intake of fatty acids, antioxidants and selected food groups and asthma in adults. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 8–15 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602025

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602025

Keywords

  • asthma
  • dietary fat
  • antioxidants
  • adults
  • EPIC

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links