Diet and asthma

Over the last 30 years, the role of diet in asthma prevention and management has gained interest in the international literature, and many papers have been published on these topics. Taken together, the literature is inconclusive, probably due to the complexity of both the exposures and outcomes and, consequently, their associations. Indeed, published epidemiological studies are very heterogeneous regarding diet assessment, diet estimation, a window of exposure (antenatal/childhood/adulthood diet), and asthma expression (primary/secondary prevention). In addition, being an essential part of lifestyle, diet is highly associated with obesity and other lifestyle factors, as well as social determinants. These factors may act in a more complicated way than simple confounders in the diet–asthma association. The chapter reviews studies on the topic and includes a discussion on the interrelations between diet, obesity, and physical activity in asthma prevention and management.