Study finds fatty fish can cut asthma symptoms

A MEDITERRANEAN diet rich in fish can help reduce the symptoms of asthma in children, an Australian-first study has revealed.

The La Trobe University clinical trial found eating two serves of cooked “fatty” fish a week reduced airway inflammation. The research could see salmon, sardines and mackerel — fish high in omega-3 acids — land on more dinner plates.

Co-researcher Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos said a healthy diet with plenty of fish could be a safe and effective therapy for childhood asthma.

“Changing a diet is relatively easy,” she said.

“We do need support at home for a healthy diet but, together with proper medical management, it can have a very positive effect.

“This research also showed that the improvement is fairly quick — over six months.”

Prof Itsiopoulos said while the study involved children, the “anti-inflammatory properties” and omega-3 fatty acids in fish would likely have the same benefits for adults.

“There is absolutely no reason why we couldn’t apply this to adults,” she said.

The trial, run in Athens, involved 64 children aged 5-12 with mild asthma.

Half the group followed a Greek Mediterranean diet, with two meals of cooked fatty fish a week. Their lung inflammation had reduced by a “significant” 14 units after just six months.

La Trobe University Associate Professor Bircan Erbas, who co-supervised the trial, said asthma was the most common respiratory disease in children, and one of the leading causes of trips to hospital.

About 12 per cent of Australian children aged 14 and under had asthma in 2014-15.

“Unfortunately, the rate of asthma worldwide remains high,” Prof Erbas said.

“It is imperative that we identify new therapies that we can use alongside conventional asthma medications.”