Is the consumption of fast foods associated with asthma or other allergic diseases?

Abstract

The associations between the consumption of fast foods and asthma or allergic diseases have not been clarified. The aim of this study was to determine whether fast foods consumption is associated with asthma or allergic diseases. Databases were searched up to February 2018. Studies investigating the associations between fast foods consumption and asthma or allergic diseases were considered eligible. Included studies were assessed for quality using standardized critical appraisal checklists. The quality scores were 5.33 AE 1.16 in case-control studies and 5.69 AE 1.55 in cross-sectional studies. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled. Sixteen studies (13 cross-sectional and 3 case-control studies) were included. The consumption of fast foods was significantly related to current asthma (aOR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.17-2.13 for casecontrol study and aOR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.10-2.26 for cross-sectional studies), severe asthma (aOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.23-1.46), asthma ever (aOR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.06-1.75), current wheeze (aOR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.16-1.27), wheeze ever (aOR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.07-2.52), physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (odds ratio: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.05-1.95), severe eczema (aOR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.16-1.96) and severe rhino-conjunctivitis (aOR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.18-2.00). The consumption of hamburgers was associated with current asthma (aOR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.13-2.25), severe asthma (aOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.23-1.46), asthma ever (aOR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.13-1.92), severe eczema (aOR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.16-1.96), severe rhino-conjunctivitis (aOR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.18-2.00) and rhino-conjunctivitis (aOR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.15-1.27). The consumption of fast foods, especially hamburgers, ≥3 times/week, was more likely to be associated with severe asthma and current wheeze compared with the consumption of 1-2 times/week (both P < 0.001). In conclusion, the consumption of fast foods, particularly hamburgers, correlates to asthma in a dose-response pattern, which needs to be further validated in longitudinal and interventional studies.

Integrative analysis of the intestinal metabolome of childhood asthma

“…Several prior studies have found positive associations between processed or fried meat consumption and asthma, [52][53][54] and one recent systematic review found that hamburger consumption had a particularly strong association with asthma. 55 Our findings support a causal pathway whereby intestinal metabolites mediate at least part of the association between fried and processed meat consumption and asthma.…”

The Frequency of Fast Food Consumption in Relation to Wheeze and Asthma Among Adolescents in Gauteng and North West Provinces, South Africa

“…Over recent decades, the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases has adequately increased to pose a public health concern [1-3]. Many studies have proposed that the increase in asthma and allergic diseases are attributed to changes in our diets [1,2], while others have linked it to environmental factors such as smoking, seasonal variations and air pollution [4][5][6]. A study conducted in children and adolescents in over 40 countries showed that up to 25% of children and nearly 40% of adolescents consume fast foods frequently [7].…”

“…Studies have shown that people living in developed countries have adopted a Westernized lifestyle [2]. This is a diet that mainly consists of fast foods and is rich in processed foods, fats and sugar.…”

Allergie, Mikrobiom und weitere epigenetische Faktoren

“…Je mehr Fastfood, desto schlechter: Bei Konsumation von 3 oder mehr Fastfood-Mahlzeiten pro Woche zeigten sich signifikant vermehrt Rhinokonjunktivitis und Ekzem. Beim Vergleich der beiden Fastfood-Gruppen untereinander fand man in der Gruppe der ≥3 Hamburgers & Co-Esser eine signifikant erhöhte Wahrscheinlichkeit, an schwerem Asthma und schwerer Rhinokonjunktivitis zu leiden (Wang et al 2018b).…”