The association between margarine and allergies in young adults

This study was published in the Annals of Epidemiology 2005 Mar;15(3):207-13

Study title and authors:
Margarine consumption, asthma, and allergy in young adults: results of the German National Health Survey 1998.

Bolte G, Winkler G, Hölscher B, Thefeld W, Weiland SK, Heinrich J.
Department of Epidemiology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. gabrielbolte@lgl.bayern.de

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15723766

This study of 7,124 adults examined whether frequent intake of margarine or butter is associated with allergy prevalence in adults.

The study found in young adults aged 18 to 29:
(a) Those who had a frequent intake of margarine had a 133% increased risk of currently having asthma compared to those who had a frequent intake of butter.
(b) Those who had a frequent intake of margarine had a 15% increased risk of having hay fever compared to those who had a frequent intake of butter.
(c) Those who had a frequent intake of margarine had a 17% increased risk of having atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema) compared to those who had a frequent intake of butter.

Soy associated with an increased risk of asthma

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003 Sep;78(3):414-21

Study title and authors:
Food and nutrient intakes and asthma risk in young adults.

Woods RK, Walters EH, Raven JM, Wolfe R, Ireland PD, Thien FC, Abramson MJ.
Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Central and Eastern Clinical School, Monash University, and The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12936923

The goal of the study was to determine whether the food and nutrient intakes of adults with asthma differ from those of adults without asthma. In the study the dietary habits of 1,601 young adults (average age 34.6 years) were analysed.

The study found:
(a) Consumption of soy beverage was associated with an increased risk of asthma.
(b) Consumption of butter, red meat, total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol were associated with a lower risk of asthma. 

Daily butter consumption halves the risk of asthma compared to daily margarine consumption

This study was published in Thorax 2003 Jul;58(7):567-72

Study title and authors:
Association of consumption of products containing milk fat with reduced asthma risk in pre-school children: the PIAMA birth cohort study.

Wijga AH, Smit HA, Kerkhof M, de Jongste JC, Gerritsen J, Neijens HJ, Boshuizen HC, Brunekreef B
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology (CZE), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Alet.Wijga@rivm.nl

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12832666

This study investigated the role of diet in the development of asthma in pre-school children. The study included 2,978 children. Data was collected at the age of two years and related to asthma symptoms reported at the age of three years.

The study found:
(a) Children who consumed butter daily had a 51% reduced risk of asthma compared to children who consumed margarine daily.
(b) Children who consumed full fat milk daily had a 29% reduced risk of asthma compared to children who consumed semi-skimmed milk daily.
(c) Children who consumed butter daily had a 58% reduced risk of asthma compared to children who consumed butter less than once a week. 

Asthmatic children consume more margarine and less butter than non-asthmatic children

This post features a synopsis on a study published in Allergy Volume 56, Issue 5, pages 425–428, May 2001 and a recipe for a mixed grill.

Study title and authors:
Diet, serum fatty acids, and atopic diseases in childhood
T. Dunder, L. Kuikka, J. Turtinen, L. Räsänen, M. Uhari
Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

This paper can be accessed at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1034/j.1398-9995.2001.056005425.x/full
                                                                                                                                           Books:

The study evaluated the association between dietary fats and the occurrence and development of atopic diseases (allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis, and allergic dermatitis etc). 385 sex- and age-matched pairs were followed for 9 years.

The study revealed:
(a) Those with atopic disease consumed more margarine and less butter than the nonatopic children.
(b) The dietary Polyunsaturated fat/Saturated fat ratio was significantly higher in the atopic children.
(c) Saturated fat consumption was significantly lower in the children with atopic dermatitis.

Dunder notes how saturated fat has a protective influence against atopic diseases and how the increasing consumption of margarine, which is rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, may have caused the increase in atopic diseases.

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Recipe of the day

Mixed Grill

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 slices lamb’s liver

4 lamb’s kidneys
40 g (1 ½ ozs) lard
salt and black pepper to taste
4 tomatoes, halved
8 large mushrooms

Instructions:
Skin and core the kidneys and halve them lengthways.

Line a grill pan with foil and melt the lard and spread in it. Put the liver in the middle of the pan surrounded with the kidneys. Brush with lard.

Grill under a medium heat until the liver and kidneys change colour (approx 3 mins), and turn them over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the tomatoes and mushrooms around the kidneys, with the cut sides of tomatoes and caps of mushrooms uppermost. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and brush with fat.

Grill for a further 5 minutes and serve hot.