GREATER adherence to the Mediterranean diet may significantly reduce the risk of developing asthma in adulthood, according to new findings from a large Spanish cohort study.
Spanish Cohort Study Tracks Diet and Asthma Over 12 Years
Researchers analysed data from 17,127 adults participating in the SUN Project (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra), a long-running prospective study of university graduates in Spain. The study explored whether following a Mediterranean dietary pattern was associated with the incidence of adult-onset asthma.
While diet has long been suspected to influence asthma risk in both children and adults, previous evidence has been inconsistent. The Mediterranean diet, characterised by high intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish, and low consumption of red and processed meats, has been associated with anti-inflammatory and cardiometabolic benefits, but its impact on asthma development in adults has remained unclear.
Participants in the SUN cohort were free from airway disease at baseline and were followed for an average of 12.8 years. Dietary habits were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline and again at 10 years. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured using the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), ranging from 0 to 9. Participants were grouped into four categories according to their level of adherence.
Can the Mediterranean Diet Help Prevent Adult Asthma?
During follow-up, 302 participants (1.76%) reported a new diagnosis of asthma, defined as a self-reported physician diagnosis within the previous two years in biennial questionnaires.
Multivariable repeated-measurement Cox regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, revealed a significant inverse association between Mediterranean diet adherence and asthma risk. Individuals with the highest adherence (MDS ≥7) had a 42% lower risk of developing asthma compared with those with the lowest adherence (MDS ≤2) (hazard ratio 0.58; 95% CI 0.36–0.95; p-trend=0.02).
The authors report that this is the first prospective study in an adult Mediterranean population to demonstrate a significant protective association between strong adherence to the Mediterranean diet and reduced incidence of adult-onset asthma.
The findings add to growing evidence supporting dietary patterns as modifiable risk factors in chronic respiratory disease and suggest that promoting Mediterranean-style eating habits could play a role in asthma prevention strategies.
Reference
Viader JE et al. Association between mediterranean diet and the incidence of adult-onset asthma in the SUN project: a Spanish prospective cohort study. Respirology. 2026;doi:10.1002/resp.70200.
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