Scientific findings published in the ERJ in August.

Eating a sensible diet may help prevent COPD

We have all been told many times that eating foods such as fruit and vegetable, fish and wholemeal bread and cereals are good for our health, but what do they do for our lungs in particular? A study has been carried out in the UK on a group of 1,551 men and 1,391 women who were an average of 66 years old. Their diet was investigated to see what kinds of food they ate on a regular basis.

They also had their lung function tested using a spirometer, which measures the amount of air that a person can blow out of their lungs in one second. This can show doctors how healthy the lungs are and whether the airways are blocked or obstructed in any way. If the airways are obstructed, the person may be diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The results from this study showed that the people who ate a sensible diet of fruit vegetables, oily fish and wholegrain cereals and less white bread, sugar, full-fat diary products, chips and processed meat had better lung function. It also showed that men who ate a sensible diet were less likely to have COPD, especially the men that smoked.

The reasons that having a sensible diet helps the working of the lungs may be:

• Fruit and wholemeal bread contain nutrients, such as vitamin C, which are antioxidants, which may combat the harmful effects of tobacco smoke and air pollution on the lungs. • Oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids that may protect the lungs against the effects of smoking.

This study is important because it suggests that cases of COPD could be prevented if people eat more sensibly. More fruit and vegetables, oily fish and wholegrain cereals and less white bread, sugar, full fat diary products, chips and processed meat may not only improve your general health but, more specifically, your lung health.

For more information, please go to: www.diet.european-lung-foundation.org