Moms-To-Be Can Eat Apples To Ward off Asthma in Offspring
An apple a day while you are pregnant may indeed keep the doctor away. But the real beneficiary could be your unborn child, say researchers in the journal Thorax.
Recent research suggests that when moms-to-be eat apples during pregnancy, their children have lower rates of asthma.
And, mothers who eat fish during pregnancy may lower their child's risk of developing the allergic skin condition called eczema.
"There are influences that occur in utero that can have lasting impact," says Dr. Jennifer Appleyard, at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan. "More and more, we're finding influences for later health develop earlier than we anticipated."
More than 20 million Americans have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and over 6 million of those are children.
Eczema, which is sometimes called atopic dermatitis, is an allergic condition that makes the skin dry and itchy. It is most common in babies and children.
Dutch researchers recently followed 1,253 children from before birth to age five.
Their mothers completed food questionnaires during their pregnancies, and their children's health was assessed with a symptom questionnaire. The children's diets were also assessed.
Women who consumed the most apples during pregnancy - more than four a week - had children who were 37 percent less likely to have ever wheezed than children of mothers who had the lowest consumption of apples during pregnancy.
Additionally, youngsters born to apple-loving moms were 46 percent less likely to have asthma symptoms and 53 percent less likely to have doctor-confirmed asthma than those whose mothers did not eat the fruit.
The mechanism behind apples' apparent protective effect needs further study, but may have something to do with the flavonoids and other antioxidants contained in apples, says Dr. Devang Doshi, director of pediatric allergy and immunology at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.
The study also found that mothers who ate fish more than once a week had children who were 43 percent less likely to have eczema than women who never ate fish.
"This was a good study, but we need a lot more evidence still," say Dr. Doshi, who pointed out that the children in the study generally had well-balanced, nutritious diets, and that may have played a role as well.
So, what is a pregnant woman to do?
"The general consensus is that women should consume a good, well-balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables, and not to overindulge in any one food," says Dr. Doshi.
Dr. Appleyard recommends avoiding nuts, peanuts, and shellfish while you are pregnant to reduce the risk of your child developing a food allergy.
While this advice applies to everyone, it may be even more important for those with a family history of allergies. Dr. Appleyard adds that women who are vegetarians have to weigh the risks and benefits of following such dietary restrictions.
Dr. Appleyard agrees that prenatal nutrition is an area that needs a lot more research and suggests that pregnant women might want to "pick your foods wisely, because what you're eating today may not only nourish your body, but may have an impact on your baby's future health."
For more information consult MUSC MED-U-NURSE or your child's physician. |
Approximately 22.2 million people in the US have been diagnosed with asthma, with at least 6.5 million of them children under the age of 18.
Asthma is the leading serious chronic illness among children in the US.
Asthma accounts for 14 million absences from school each year.
Asthma is the third-ranking cause of childhood hospitalizations under the age of 15.
The exact cause of asthma is not completely known. It is believed to be partially inherited, but it also involves many other environmental, infectious, and chemical factors.
After a child is exposed to a certain trigger, the body releases histamine and other agents that can cause inflammation in your child's airways.
The body also releases other factors that can cause the muscles of the airways to tighten, or become smaller. There is also an increase in mucus production that may clog the airways.
Some children have exercise-induced asthma, which is caused by varying degrees of exercise. Symptoms can occur during or shortly after exercise.
Each child has different triggers that cause the asthma to worsen. You should discuss this with your physician.
An immediate response to the trigger leads to swelling and narrowing of the airways. This makes it initially difficult for your child to breathe.
A later response, which can happen four to eight hours after the initial exposure to the allergen, leads to further inflammation of the airways and obstruction of airflow.
Symptoms may include coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, or shortness of breath while your child is playing or exercising, chest tightness, fatigue, nighttime cough, or noisy breathing
For more information consult MUSC MED-U-NURSE or your child's physician.
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