Why smokers should make sure they eat their 5-a-day
- COPD is a potentially deadly lung disease that is known to be caused by smoking
- But both former and current smokers can prevent it by consuming more produce
- However, those who don’t smoke will get no benefit from having a healthier diet
- A study found a link between a lower risk of the disease and eating leafy greens
Stephen Matthews For Mailonline
5
View
comments
Smokers should eat make sure they eat more fruit and vegetables to prevent deadly lung disease, scientists warn.
Consuming five-a-day reduces their risk of getting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by 40 per cent, a study found.
Each extra portion then slashes the chances by an additional eight per cent, the new research suggests.
Former smokers can also grab the benefits from adopting a healthier diet, although the findings weren’t true for those who do not smoke.
Known to contain powerful antioxidants, the Swedish experts believe that fresh produce may help to protect the lungs from smoking damage.
But the results show only a link between apples, leafy greens and peppers. No such benefits came from eating berries, tomatoes or onions.
Consuming five-a-day reduces a smoker’s risk of getting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 40 per cent, a study found
Study author Dr Joanna Kaluza, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said: ‘All smokers and former smokers should eat as much fruits and vegetables as possible.
‘Each extra serving of fruit and vegetable decreases significantly risk of COPD development.
‘High fruit and vegetable consumption not only reduces the risk of chronic lung disease, but also cardiovascular disease, cancers, helps to keep proper body weight and other benefits.’
-
The cholesterol drug that outperforms statins: Patients on…
Want to enjoy St Patrick’s Day? Steer clear of traditional…
Mother, 31, feels ‘disgusting’ after a botched NHS operation…
Woman cruelly dubbed ‘the monster’ by her neighbours because…
COPD is an umbrella term for a number of lung conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Smoking is widely known to increase the risk of the incurable disease, which can be deadly.
Believed to affect about three million Britons, it can make breathing difficult for sufferers, leaving them wheezing and coughing.
Known to contain powerful antioxidants, experts believe that fresh produce may help to protect the lungs from smoking damage
The researchers analysed data of 44,335 middle-aged men over a period of 14 years, starting in 1998.
At the start of the study, the participants completed questionnaires about how often they consumed fruit and vegetables.
FORGET THE ‘FIVE-A-DAY’ MANTRA
The five-a-day mantra to get us all to eat more healthily has been the official advice for decades.
But last month experts said that the guidelines should be doubled – to 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
This would prevent 7,200 cancer deaths and almost 14,000 from stroke every year, Imperial College London researchers claimed.
They found ten 80g portions of fruit and vegetables may cut the risk of cancer by 13 per cent and heart disease by 24 per cent.
Their smoking history was also monitored and assessed. Some 1,918 went on to develop COPD by the time the study period finished.
Around two thirds of the men were current or former smokers, according to the findings published in the journal Thorax.
The researchers divided the participants into five groups based on how many fruit and vegetables they ate daily.
After separating them by their smoking status, researchers found a significantly lower risk of developing the disease.
Ex-smokers with high consumption of greens were 34 per cent less likely to develop COPD. Each additional serving was linked to a four per cent drop in risk.
The findings could not be replicated in those who had never smoked cigarettes.
Despite the promising findings, Seif Shaheen, a professor of respiratory epidemiology at Queen Mary University in London, stressed that diet is not a cure-all for the effects of smoking.
He said: ‘The most important thing you can do to reduce your chances of getting COPD is not to smoke/to stop smoking.’
Share or comment on this article
-
How could William embarrass Kate so publicly? JAN MOIR… -
‘Marion for president’: Internet goes wild over the… -
If you can’t beat them, join them! Now it’s Kate’s turn… -
Britain’s youngest mother-to-be is pregnant at age 11:… -
‘Bury me in my mummy’s coffin’: Dying boy, seven, has… -
Shocking moment FDNY medic and mother-of-five is killed… -
Inching towards nuclear war? It’s terrifying. North… -
United States APOLOGISES to Britain over bizarre White… -
A mother’s fatal sacrifice: New film tells the tragic… -
My sons won’t get a brass farthing from me when I die…. -
Caught on CCTV: The terrifying moment a man stalks a… -
Shocking footage shows three ‘zombie’ women struggling to… -
High-heeled clubber SMACKS man and sparks burger bar… -
Ever wondered why your suitcase goes missing? Outrage as… -
Five siblings who want to be adopted by the same family… -
‘I wish he’d just called’: Mum’s heartbreak after… -
The horrific moment that villagers cut open a giant… -
Dramatic footage shows young woman caked in brown sludge…
Comments 5
Share what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Your comment will be credited to your MailOnline persona.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
The post will be credited to your MailOnline username. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.