How food and diet may play a role in asthma management

Professor Lisa Wood focuses her research on how food affects inflammation, especially in people with lung diseases.  

She combines these areas to create practical, science-based diet advice to help manage respiratory conditions. 

Can diet help asthma?

Many people are trying to manage their asthma by changing their diet and are searching for specific guidelines on how to do this. 

Part of her research studied how eating fruits and vegetables affects asthma. She found that people who ate more fruits and vegetables by meeting the recommended daily intake were less likely to have asthma attacks than those who ate less.  

This is because these foods are rich in antioxidants and fibre, which help reduce inflammation.  

Can a healthy diet help kids with asthma?

She’s also done a similar study with children, since asthma is more common in young people. Improving their diet reduced their risk of getting sick or having severe asthma symptoms. Plus, eating more fruits and vegetables has many other health benefits too. 

Can fats in food effect how well asthma medicines work?

Similarly another part of Lisa’s research looked at how different types of fats in food affect how well asthma medications work.  

The research showed that what people eat can influence both airway inflammation and how their medicine works. 

“People seem to know food is important in the management of asthma and other respiratory diseases even though there is so little data available,” she claims. 

“It’s a curious thing.” 

Lisa’s research has found that eating a lot of fatty foods can make asthma medication like relievers less effective. Since people rely on these medications during asthma attacks, it’s important to understand why they don’t work as well after eating high-fat meals.  

Lisa on caring for her daughter with asthma

Lisa has seen first-hand how frightening it is for children and parents when the child can’t breathe properly. When her daughter was just 3 years old, she was rushed to hospital because she couldn’t breathe and her lips had turned blue. Fortunately after some emergency treatment and a few hours in hospital she was able to return home, however Lisa will never forget how scared and helpless she felt that night. 

The Research Advisory Committee

Asthma Australia wants to support new and practical research that helps people with asthma live better lives. Lisa is the Chair of Asthma Australia’s Research Advisory Committee who guide this work.  

The committee helps make sure the research program has a big impact and continues to grow in the right direction. The committee includes experts in science, medicine, and research, as well as people from across Australia who have personal experience with asthma.