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A team of researches from Finland have found that diet may play a role in the increased incidence of allergies.
Their study found that children who eventually developed allergies ate less butter and more margarine compared with children who did not develop allergies. The allergic children also tended to eat less fish, although this dietary difference was less significant.
The study is not the first to suggest that certain types of fatty acids may play a role in the onset of allergic diseases. Polyunsaturated fats like those in margarine are thought to promote the formation of prostaglandin E2, a substance that promotes inflammation and causes the immune system to release a protein that triggers allergic reactions.
Thier results support the hypothesis that the quality of the fat consumed in the diet is important for the development of allergic diseases in children.
The possibility of preventing allergic diseases by supplementation or by changing the fatty acid composition of the diet of young children remains to be tested by clinical trials.
Allergy 2001;56:425-428
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