The Influence of Eating at Home on Dietary Diversity and Airway Inflammation in Portuguese School-Aged Children.

João Cavaleiro Rufo,Francisca De Castro-Mendes,Mariana Farraia,Inês Paciência,Patrícia Padrão,Pedro Cunha,André Moreira,Pedro Moreira,Luís Delgado,Diana Silva

doi:10.3390/ijerph18052646

Abstract

Considering the negative impact of a lack of dietary diversity on children’s nutritional status, we aimed to describe dietary variety according to eating at home frequency and assessed its association with respiratory outcomes in school-aged children. This cross-sectional study included 590 children (49% girls) aged 7 to 12 years from 20 public schools located in city of Porto, Portugal. Daily frequency of eating at home groups were calculated and dietary diversity was calculated using a 10-food group score from a 24 h recall questionnaire. Spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide levels (eNO; <35 and ≥35 ppb) were assessed. The comparison of diet diversity according to the groups was performed by ANOVA and ANCOVA. The association between dietary diversity and respiratory outcomes was examined using regression models. In multivariate analysis, children in the highest group of eating at home episodes (≥4 occasions) obtained the lowest dietary diversity mean score, while the lowest group (<2) had the highest mean score (p-value 0.026). After adjustment for confounders, higher diet diversity (≥5 food groups) significantly decreased the odds of having an eNO ≥35. Diet diversity might decrease the chance of airway inflammation among children. However, having more eating episodes at home could be a barrier to a more diverse diet.

Highlights

In parallel with the increasing incidence of allergic diseases, there has been a change in diet, which is framed in the western lifestyle pattern [1]
This western dietary pattern is characterized by a high intake of processed meats, refined grains, and sugary foods, and low intake of plant-based foods [2], which might compromise the supply of important dietary components with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties involved in protection against asthma development [3]
We aimed to describe diet diversity according to eating at home frequency, and to assess the association between diet diversity and asthma, lung function, and airway inflammation as well as respiratory and asthma symptoms in schoolaged children

Summary

Introduction

In parallel with the increasing incidence of allergic diseases, there has been a change in diet, which is framed in the western lifestyle pattern [1]. This western dietary pattern is characterized by a high intake of processed meats, refined grains, and sugary foods, and low intake of plant-based foods [2], which might compromise the supply of important dietary components with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties involved in protection against asthma development [3].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion