Daijiworld Media Network - Madrid

Madrid, Mar 3: Strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet may significantly reduce the risk of developing adult-onset asthma, according to findings from a long-term Spanish cohort study tracking participants for over a decade.

Researchers analysed data from 17,127 adults enrolled in the SUN Project (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra), a prospective study involving university graduates in Spain. The study examined whether following a Mediterranean dietary pattern influenced the incidence of asthma in adulthood.

While diet has long been suspected to play a role in asthma risk, evidence in adults has remained inconsistent. The Mediterranean diet — rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish, and low in red and processed meats — is widely recognised for its anti-inflammatory and cardiometabolic benefits. However, its effect on asthma development has been unclear.

Participants in the SUN cohort were free from airway disease at the start of the study and were followed for an average of 12.8 years. Dietary habits were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline and again after 10 years. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured using the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), ranging from 0 to 9, with participants categorised into four groups based on their level of adherence.

During the follow-up period, 302 participants (1.76%) reported a new diagnosis of asthma, defined as a physician-confirmed diagnosis within the previous two years, captured through biennial questionnaires.

Using multivariable repeated-measurement Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounding factors, researchers found a significant inverse association between Mediterranean diet adherence and asthma risk. Individuals with the highest adherence (MDS ≥7) had a 42% lower risk of developing asthma compared to those with the lowest adherence (MDS ≤2), with a hazard ratio of 0.58 (95% CI 0.36–0.95; p-trend=0.02).

The authors noted that this is the first prospective study conducted in an adult Mediterranean population to demonstrate a statistically significant protective association between strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet and reduced incidence of adult-onset asthma.

The findings add to growing evidence that dietary patterns are modifiable risk factors in chronic respiratory diseases and suggest that promoting Mediterranean-style eating habits could form part of broader asthma prevention strategies.