01 Jul High Fiber Diet During Pregnancy May Reduce Risk of Childhood Asthma
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Alison Thorburn Ph.D.
Department of Immunology
Monash University
Victoria, Australia
Medical Research: What is the background for this study?
Dr. Thorburn: Asthma is a highly prevalent disease in the Western World. The prevailing explanation for this has been the hygiene hypothesis, which proposes that a decline in family size and improved hygiene has decreased exposure to infectious agents and therefore resulted in dysregulated immune responses that lead to asthma. However, recently there has been more attention on the role of diet and the gut microbiota in explaining the prevalence of inflammatory diseases in Western World. Indeed, many studies implicate obesity, as well as a high fat, low fruit and vegetable diet with higher prevalence of asthma. On the other hand, a Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruit and vegetables, is associated with lower prevelance of asthma. Interestingly, the consumption of dietary fiber is reduced in severe asthmatics. These and other data suggest that the diet (particularly dietary fibre) and the gut microbiota may play an important role in the development of asthma.
Medical Research: What are the main findings?
Dr. Thorburn: The main findings of this study are that:
– In mice: A high-fiber diet promotes a gut microbiota that produces high levels of anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), particularly acetate. Acetate (alkaline form of vinegar) suppressed the development of allergic airways disease (AAD, a model for human asthma) in adult mice and the offspring of pregnant mice.
– In humans: High dietary fiber intake during late pregnancy is associated with higher acetate levels in the serum and a decrease in the percentage of infants showing predictors for asthma development in later life.
– The mechanism underlying these findings involves increasing T regulatory cell number and function through epigenetic mechanisms, which enhance immune regulation to prevent inflammation.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Thorburn: The take home message is “eat more fiber” to protect yourself and your offspring against the development of asthma. Fiber is important for the production of the anti-inflammatory molecule acetate, which helps regulate the immune response.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Thorburn: Future research is required to determine if the effect of fiber also offers protection against other Western World associated diseases such as allergies and cardiovascular disease. Further studies should also investigate whether the consumption of vinegar has similar effects.
Citation:
Alison N. Thorburn, Craig I. McKenzie,
Nature Communications 6, Article number: 7320
doi:10.1038/ncomms8320 Published 23 June 2015
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Dr. Alison Thorburn Ph.D. (2015). High Fiber Diet During Pregnancy May Reduce Risk of Childhood Asthma
Last Updated on July 1, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD