Healthy diet linked to improved lung function, study finds

A recent study has found that following a healthy diet is associated with improved lung function, particularly among individuals with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study, published in ERJ Open Research, revealed that higher diet quality was linked to better lung function indicators, as well as a slower decline in these functions over time in people with COPD.

A research team led by Arturo F. Martinez Rodriguez from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands analyzed data from adults participating in the Lifelines study to examine the relationship between diet quality and lung function in those with asthma or COPD.

The researchers used the Lifelines Diet Score (LLDS) to assess participants' diet quality, then measured lung function at the start of the study and during two follow-ups over approximately 10 years. Measurements included forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and the FEV1/FVC ratio.

Study results and implications

Cross-sectional analyses included 83,460 participants and showed that higher diet quality was associated with higher FEV1 values and FEV1/FVC ratios among those with asthma or COPD, compared to individuals without either condition.

In longitudinal analyses involving 37,752 participants, the researchers found that higher diet quality was linked to a slower decline in lung function indicators among people with COPD, compared to those without the disease.

The researchers noted that the findings support the possibility that diet is a modifiable lifestyle factor that may help maintain respiratory health, especially in people with COPD.

They also clarified that the study does not conclusively prove that a healthy diet directly improves lung function, but it does indicate an association that warrants further research to better understand the nature of this relationship.