Teens who turn up their noses to fruit and fish may be undermining their lung health, new research released Monday suggests. The work, based on the study of 2,112 American and Canadian teenagers, found an association between good lung function and levels of dietary intake of fruit and fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Teens who ate less of these foods had higher rates of asthma, wheezing and symptoms of chronic bronchitis such as cough and phlegm, said the researchers, from the Harvard School of Public Health and Health Canada. ‘The walk-away (message) is that . . . if your diet is generally lacking in these types of things your risk of having and continuing to have symptoms associated with chronic bronchitis and asthma are increased,’ said Mark Raizenne, director of Health Canada’s sustainable development division. ‘Even in adolescence if you’re starting to have poor nutrition and you’re starting to have some of these poor habits, you will probably start having the symptoms that are associated with long-term respiratory problems.’ ‘And it starts that early. Don’t be surprised in your 20s and 30s if you had those problems earlier on.’ Raizenne was formerly […]