Fruity Vegetables May Protect Against Atopy

A diet rich in fish and vegetables, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, may have a protective effect against childhood wheeze and atopy, according to the results of a study published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

The study was done in Menorca, a Spanish Mediterranean island, and included 460 children who underwent skin testing with 6 common aeroallergens, and parents completed a questionnaire with 96 food items.

Large intake of fruity vegetables (more than 40 g/day), defined as tomatoes, eggplants, cucumber, green beans, and zucchini, was associated with decrease in wheezing.

A 2012 review did not show a Significant Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Asthma Symptoms http://buff.ly/YcVEq0

References:

Diet, wheeze, and atopy in school children in Menorca, Spain. Chatzi L, Torrent M, Romieu I, Garcia-Esteban R, Ferrer C, Vioque J, Kogevinas M, Sunyer J. Pediatric Allergy Immunol 2007: 18: 480–485.
Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Fish Protect Against Childhood Wheeze and Atopy. Medscape, 2007.
Mediterranean diet during childhood may protect against asthma. CasesBlog, 2007.