Scientists have explained the effect of fruits on improving lung function

Eating fruits can reduce the effects of air pollution on lung function, especially in women. This conclusion was reached by scientists who presented the research results at the European Congress of Respiratory Diseases. This was reported in the journal Science Daily.

"A healthy diet, especially rich in fruits and vegetables, is associated with improved lung function. We wanted to study whether a healthy diet or certain food groups could change or partially mitigate the known negative effects of air pollution on lung function," the article says.

The main conclusion was that people who consume more fruits are less susceptible to deterioration of lung function caused by air pollution, compared with those who consume less fruit. This effect was especially noticeable among women. Every additional 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air contaminated with PM2.5 particles led to a decrease in exhalation volume (FEV1) by 78.1 ml in people with low fruit intake, while in women with high fruit intake the decrease was only 57.5 ml.

Pimpika Kaevsri, a graduate student at the Center for Environmental Protection, Health and Sustainable Development at the University of Leicester, explained that fruits contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can neutralize stress and inflammation caused by exposure to pollutants. This may explain why women who consume four servings of fruit a day or more are less likely to have impaired lung function in polluted air conditions.

In addition, among the study participants, men generally consumed fewer fruits than women. This may explain why the protective effect of air pollution was noticeable only in women. In the future, Kaevsri plans to continue research to find out how diet affects changes in lung function over time.

Magnet background: compact device will help detect brain and heart diseases more accurately by ECG and EEG

How will the introduction of a new diagnostic technique into medical practice make the work of doctors easier?

Professor Sarah De Mattis, Chairman of the expert group on Occupational Safety and Environmental Protection of the European Respiratory Society, commented on the study, emphasizing that a healthy diet, especially a diet rich in fresh fruits, is important for respiratory health. However, she also noted that access to healthy food is not evenly distributed among the population, and despite taking into account socio-economic status, some factors may still remain unaccounted for.

"A healthy diet rich in plant foods should be promoted among the population, starting from elementary school, not only to prevent chronic diseases, but also to reduce the carbon footprint of a diet rich in meat," the expert noted.

Earlier, on September 2, cardiologist, chief physician of the 1st clinical department of JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg clinic), Ph.D. Vyacheslav Koliev called excessive sweating a possible symptom of cardiovascular diseases. According to him, it can be caused by both physiological causes and pathological conditions, including endocrine disorders, infections or oncological processes.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.