Eating fruit could slash effects of air pollution on the lungs, study finds

Eating more fruit could reduce the impact of air pollution on the lungs, a study has suggested.This could be down to the antioxidants naturally present in fruit, according to researchers.The effect was also more pronounced in women who consumed four portions of fruit or more a day.To explore the links between a healthy diet and better lung function, academics from the University of Leicester looked at UK Biobank data from 207,421 people.Researchers compared their diets, including intake of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, with lung function – or FEV1, the amount of air exhaled in one second.Air pollution was measured as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the concentration of tiny particles released into the air by the likes of cars and factories.The team found that for every exposure to PM2.5 of five micrograms per cubic metre of air, FEV1 reduced by 78.1ml in people who did not eat a lot of fruit.This compared with a 57.5ml reduction in women who consumed a lot of fruit.Researchers said men generally reported eating less fruit than women, which could explain why the protective effect was seen in females.Pimpika Kaewsri, a PhD student from the Centre for Environmental Health and Sustainability at the University of Leicester, presented the findings at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam.She said: “Our study confirmed that a healthy diet is linked to better lung function in both men and women regardless of air pollution exposure.“And that women who consumed four portions of fruit per day or more appeared to have smaller reductions in lung function associated with air pollution, compared to those who consumed less fruit.“This may be partly explained by the antioxidant and anti-inflammation compounds naturally present in fruit.“These compounds could help mitigate oxidative stress and inflammation caused by fine particles, potentially offsetting some of the harmful effects of air pollution on lung function.”Professor Sara De Matteis, chairwoman of the European Respiratory