You are here: Home | Apples and Health | Clinical Studies | Lung Studies
Lung Studies
Studies appear to indicate that eating apples may support lung function and help reduce one's risk of respiratory disease and related symptoms.
National Institute of Health
Researchers from the National Institute of Health, the University of Southern California and the National University of Singapore analyzed the relationship between dietary intake and incidents of cough and phlegm — symptoms frequently associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This prospective-cohort study found that non-starch polysaccharides, a major component of dietary fiber, and certain non-citrus fruits, including apples, were associated with reduced development of chronic respiratory symptoms, further supporting the importance of high-fiber and high-flavonoid diets. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2004.
King's College
A study out of London's King's College at the University of Southampton found that those who consumed more apples were less likely to have asthma, suggesting that the flavonoids found in the apple may have a protective effect against the development of this lung disease. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, 2001.
National Heart & Lung Institute, London.
Using a cross-sectional study, investigators set out to determine whether wheezing is less common in children who consume more apples and other fruits. Although researchers found no relationship between apple intake and asthma symptoms, drinking apple juice from concentrate at least once per day (compared with less than once per month) was negatively associated with wheezing in 5 to 11-year-old children. Although further studies are needed, authors proposed that some evidence suggests that a higher consumption of apple juice from concentrate, and bananas, may help protect against wheezing in children. European Respiratory Journal, 2007.
Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Investigators from the Netherlands and Scotland examined whether maternal intake of specific foods during pregnancy may be associated with asthma and allergic outcomes in children. A longitudinal study tracked the dietary intake of nearly 1,800 pregnant women and then examined the effects on symptoms of asthma, hay fever and eczema in more than 1,200 of their children, five years later. With the exception of apples and fish, no consistent associations were found between maternal food intake and childhood health outcomes. Researchers demonstrated a beneficial association between maternal apple intake and childhood wheeze and asthma, as well as between maternal fish intake and childhood eczema. Although additional studies are required, findings suggest that consumption of apples during pregnancy may possibly have a protective effect against the development of childhood asthma. Thorax, 2007.
Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Researchers from Monash University, the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, and the National Institute of Clinical Studies in Melbourne evaluated whether the food and nutrient intakes of adults with asthma differ from adults without asthma. This community-based study of 1,601 adults suggested that the intake of apples and pears may possibly protect against asthma and bronchial hyper reactivity. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003.
National Institute of Public Health, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Researchers in the Netherlands believe that specific flavonoids found in apples may help improve lung function and chronic cough in those suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study evaluated the dietary flavonoid intake (primarily from apples and tea) of more than 13,000 adults in three Dutch cities. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, 2001.