A Balanced Diet and Regular Exercising May Help in Reducing Asthma Symptoms

Asthma is a non-communicable, lifestyle disease that is characterized by wheezing, breathlessness, chest pain and difficulty in breathing. It happens as a result of inflammation of the airways that affects the respiratory system and makes it difficult for a person to perform normal respiratory functions. The World Health Organisation estimates close to 300 million people across the world to be suffering from asthma. The respiratory condition is known to affect one in ten people in the western world. The severity of symptoms may suffer from person to person.

In a recent study, a group of researchers from Denmark stressed on the importance of a balanced diet in asthmatics. "There is increasing evidence that asthma patients who are obese can benefit from a better diet and increased exercise," said Louise Lindhardt Toennesen from Bispebjerg University Hospital in Denmark.

"Our research suggests that people with asthma should be encouraged to eat a healthy diet and to take part in physical activity," Toennesen noted.

The study was presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2017 in Italy and found that those who took part in the exercise and followed the diet rated their asthma symptom score 50 per cent better as compared to the control group.

For the study, the team looked at 149 asthma patients and who were divided into four groups. One group was asked to follow a diet high in protein with a low glycaemic index (low GI), another group exercised thrice a week, which included bursts of high intensity activity. Participants in the third group exercised and followed the diet as well while the fourth group did neither.

The results showed that a combination of diet and exercise improved both symptom control and patients' quality of life, as well as improved their level of fitness.

Inputs from IANS