# Diet and Asthma: A Narrative Review
## 5 Discussion
However, a different study focusing on the levels of LCn3 PUFA in maternal EBM has revealed that higher levels of LCn3 PUFA in maternal EBM were significantly associated with a reduced risk of asthma in children [82]. These insights contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the importance of maternal nutrition in early-life programming and the prevention of childhood asthma. Further research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms underlying these associations, and to develop targeted interventions that promote optimal maternal intake for reducing the risk of childhood asthma. As for salt intake, it appears that high consumptions of this component can lead to airway inflammation and increased airway hyperresponsiveness [48; 89]. Nevertheless, a systematic review and meta-analysis found no evidence of an effect of salt intake on the disease [91; 92], although a pattern of a small improvements in airway function and a small reduction in bronchodilator use with low-salt diets was observed [91]. While the evidence on the negative effects of salt intake on asthma is not definitive, there is a lack of evidence to support any positive effects of high salt consumption on asthma. Therefore, reducing salt intake may be a beneficial strategy for individuals with asthma, even though the exact relationship between salt intake and asthma requires further investigation. Dairy consumption, on the other hand, has been a topic of debate in relation to asthma. Some studies have suggested a positive association between frequent dairy consumption and the development of asthma [69], and a positive association between consumption of low-fat cheese and ricotta cheese and current asthma has also been described [95]. Nevertheless, not all dairy products have a negative impact on asthma. Early life exposure to unpasteurized milk has been shown to have a protective effect on asthma, potentially due to its bacterial composition or protein components [93; 94]. Additionally, drinking of whole milk was found to be negatively associated with doctor-diagnosed asthma [95]. The HEI-2015, an index of diet quality, considers dairy as a positive food component of a healthy diet [120]. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming 3 cups of dairy per day [63]. However, when it comes to asthma, the specific recommendations regarding dairy intake are still under research. Further investigation is needed to better understand the relationship between dairy consumption and its potential impact on asthma prevention and management, as different types of dairy products may exert different effects. As for dietary patterns, the evidence presented implies that they can play a significant role in the development and management of asthma and airway inflammation. Higher intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and adherence to diets that are rich in the mentioned food groups, such as the high-quality Mediterranean diet, has been associated with a lower prevalence of asthma, airway inflammation, and better asthma control or symptoms [100; 101; 102; 108; 4]. Moreover, adherence to the Mediterranean diet modulates the production of several inflammatory mediators known to have a pathogenic role in asthma [112]. Conversely, diets high in total and saturated fats, and low in dietary fiber, fruits, and vegetables, as typical of current western diets, have been associated with negative asthma-related outcomes [121; 33]. It has even been demonstrated that higher dietary acid loads, usually present in a western diet, may be positively associated with asthma [30; 53].The additional and synergistic effects of combining the overall nutrient and phytochemical content acquired from various food matrices and overall diet with higher quality, may explain the inverse associations observed between several of the dietary patterns and asthma.