HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Watson, L. Articles by Little, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Watson, L. Articles by Little, P.

The association between diet and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in subjects selected from general practice

¹ Primary Medical Care Dept, University of Southampton, Aldermoor Health Centre, ² Public Health Nutrition, Institute of Human Nutrition and ³ Medical Specialities, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UK

CORRESPONDENCE: P. Little, Primary Medical Care Dept, University of Southampton, Aldermoor Health Centre, Aldermoor Close, Southampton, SO16 5ST, UK. Fax: 44 31503633082. E-mail: psl3@soton.ac.uk

Keywords: antioxidants, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diet, smoking

Received: June 27, 2001
Accepted March 26, 2002

This study was funded by a Scientific Foundation Award to L. Watson from the Royal College of General Practitioners and a grant from AstraZeneca, Lund, Sweden.

It is unclear why some smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) whilst the majority do not. Antioxidants found in food may protect against lung tissue injury, but previous epidemiological studies are inconsistent and do not focus on those most at risk of COPD, namely smokers. This case-controlled study measured the difference in dietary intake between smokers and exsmokers with and without COPD.

Cases were patients >45 yrs of age with >10 pack-yrs of smoking, a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁)/forced vital capacity (FVC) of 70% and a FEV₁ of 80% of predicted. Controls were patients >45 yrs of age with >10 pack-yrs of smoking, a FEV₁/FVC of >70% and a FEV₁ >80% pred. Data were collected using validated questionnaires. Logistic regression analysis for an unmatched case-controlled study was performed.

After controlling for other independent predictors of COPD, those with vegetable intake of 1 portion·day^–1 (93 g) were less likely to have COPD, as were those consuming 1.5 portions·day^–1 of fruit. This was not due to an overall reduction in food/calorie intake caused by the disease because: 1) adjusting for body mass index did not alter the estimates; 2) the effect was specific to fruit and vegetables, i.e. not other food groups; and 3) the estimates from incident cases were similar.

In conclusion, fruit and vegetable consumption is inversely associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and may explain why some smokers do not develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. R. Chapman, D. M. Mannino, J. B. Soriano, P. A. Vermeire, A. S. Buist, M. J. Thun, C. Connell, A. Jemal, T. A. Lee, M. Miravitlles, et al. Epidemiology and costs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Eur. Respir. J., January 1, 2006; 27(1): 188 - 207. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Buhl and S. G. Farmer Future Directions in the Pharmacologic Therapy of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Proceedings of the ATS, April 1, 2005; 2(1): 83 - 93. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]