Friday, July 18, 2008

Mom's nutty diet ups child asthma risk

Dutch scientists say children whose mothers eat nuts or nut products during pregnancy are at an increased risk of developing asthma.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, potent allergens found in certain nuts make the fetus 50% more susceptible to certain allergies and asthma.

The study revealed that maternal consumption of peanuts during pregnancy is strongly linked to childhood asthma.

Findings showed that having a diet rich in fruits during pregnancy has small effects on the child's risk of developing asthma.

University of Utrecht researchers concluded that expectant women should follow a healthy diet in order to give birth to children in good physical shape; however, the findings of this study do not propose a low allergen or restricted nut diet for pregnant women.

Previous studies had suggested that while genetics play an important role in developing asthma, environmental factors also contribute to the disease.


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