Fast foods contribute to asthma in children

Vancouver Sun

Commentary

The low ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acid may contribute to asthma in children.

See earlier post on Omega-3 to Omega-6 and asthma.

Excerpts

Children who ate fast foods more than once or twice a week — more than half the children studied — were almost twice as likely to have asthma.

Asthma is a chronic disease that, at its worst, can be fatal, and the rates are rising. In 1994-1995, about 11 per cent of children in Canada aged 11 and younger, or nearly 520,000 were diagnosed with asthma, according to Statistics Canada. By 2000-2001, the rate had risen to more than 13 per cent, an increase of nearly 70,000 children.

Meanwhile, children are getting more of their total energy intake from fast food.

Fast foods are also high in fat, and low in antioxidants, which might also play a role in the development of asthma.