Certain foods may slow declining lung function in smokers, nonsmokers, research suggests

NEWS WEEK (12/21, Matthews) reports that research suggests “certain foods may slow declining lung function both in smokers and nonsmokers.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (12/21, Parker) reports that investigators examined the diet and lung function of more than 650 adults in 2002, following up with the individuals 10 years later. The study participants completed a questionnaire, which assessed their eating habits, and they also underwent spirometry, a procedure that measures the capacity of lungs to take in oxygen.&

HEALTHY (12/21, Preidt) reports that investigators found that people who ate an average of more than two tomatoes or more than three portions of fresh fruit a day, especially apples, had a slower decline in lung function than those who ate less than one tomato or less than one portion of fruit a day. The link between diet and slower reductions in lung function was even more striking among former smokers, suggesting that nutrients in tomatoes and fresh fruit may help repair lung damage caused by smoking. The findings were published in the European Respiratory Journal.