Antioxidants Cut Asthma Risk in Children
(HealthDayNews, 2/13/04)

Patricia Cassano and fellow researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, analyzed data gathered in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 1988 to 1994 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The investigators focused on medical examinations, an asthma questionnaire and blood tests that assessed antioxidant levels and cigarette smoke exposure for 6,153 participants, aged 4 to 16. The researchers found lower rates of asthma among children who had high levels of antioxidants--such as beta carotene, vitamin C and selenium. The association between reduced asthma incidence and antioxidants was strongest for children who had been exposed to second-hand smoke. While the scientists did not establish cause and effect, they concluded that the use of dietary intervention for the prevention and treatment of asthma warrants further study