Abstract
Respiratory health outcomes are among the top five causes of child morbidity and mortality around the world. We aimed to investigate possible food-related risk and protective factors for respiratory health outcomes in children. Structured questionnaires completed by primary caregivers of 10-year old children were used to collect information on demographics, socio-economic status, house characteristics and child respiratory health status. Upper (URIs) and Lower (LRIs) respiratory illnesses comprised hay fever, and wheezing, asthma and bronchitis, respectively. Eight hundred questionnaires were distributed, 648 retrieved and 420 completed in full (52.5% response rate). The hay fever 6-month prevalence was 22.4% and wheezing had the highest 6-month prevalence among the LRIs (13.8%). The majority of children ate vegetables (75.5%), fruit (69.3%) and chicken or fish (81.7%) regularly. Nearly half of the children (45.5%) regularly ate processed food. Eating processed food regularly was statistical significantly associated with wheeze (Adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.38–5.08), hay fever (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.09–2.64) and bronchitis (OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.06–2.56). The study found an association between regular consumption of processed foods and wheeze, hay fever and bronchitis among 10 year old children. The regular consumption of processed food plays a role in adverse respiratory health effects among children and healthy eating is emphasized.
Highlights
Respiratory health and allergic reactions, for example, wheezing, asthma and hay fever, are a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide
With symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, bronchitis, that is, some of the symptoms we investigated, account for an estimated 1.3 million deaths each year in children under 5 years of age, where 43% occur in Africa [1]
Children are especially vulnerable to the hazardous respiratory effects of solid fuel use and the resultant indoor air pollution generated during cooking and heating indoors
Summary
Respiratory health and allergic reactions, for example, wheezing, asthma and hay fever, are a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. With symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, bronchitis, that is, some of the symptoms we investigated, account for an estimated 1.3 million deaths each year in children under 5 years of age, where 43% occur in Africa [1]. In South Africa, childhood respiratory infections are common and complicated by a high burden of HIV [2]. Risk factors associated with respiratory outcomes include overcrowding, poor sanitation and housing quality as well as exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and indoor and outdoor air pollution [4]. Children are especially vulnerable to the hazardous respiratory effects of solid fuel use and the resultant indoor air pollution generated during cooking and heating indoors.
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