The risk of developing serious lung disease can be halved by eating a diet rich in Mediterranean foods. But a Western diet – full of refined foods, red meat, and deep fried foods like chips – can quadruple the risk of getting illnesses such as emphysema and bronchitis.

It has always been a puzzle that while lung disease is mainly caused by smoking, not all smokers develop it. So researchers have been examining how genetic and environmental factors, such as diet, play a role. Doctors have already claimed the Mediterranean diet – high in fruit, vegetables, fish and ‘healthy’ fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy products – can improve heart health and help stave off cancer.

Now a major study from the U.S. has found it can halve the risk of developing lung disease. The research from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston followed the health of 42,917 men taking part in the U.S. Health Professionals Follow-up Study. All were asked about their medical history, diet and lifestyle, including how much they smoked and exercised. The more closely the Mediterranean diet was followed, the lower the risk of developing lung disease over the 12-year study period.

Last month, researchers from the UK’s National Heart and Lung Institute, the University of Crete, Venezelio General Hospital in Crete, and the Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, found that the Mediterranean diet helped prevent the development of asthma and respiratory allergies in children.

Last year, U.S. researchers found that the Mediterranean could reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Other researchers have shown that those who follow the diet live longer. Researchers have suggested that the Mediterranean diet appears to improve the function of blood vessels by giving flexibility to the cells lining the walls of blood vessels, which also helps keep lungs healthy. In addition, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, the body’s protection against cell damage, help the person to cope more effectively with inflammatory lung disease. Previous research from a team at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London found good lung function was linked to high intakes of vitamins C, E and beta-carotene, citrus fruits, apples and fruit juice. It is thought that high intake of salt and fatty acids – such as those found in margarine – could also increase the risk of lung problems.

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