Increased glycotoxins, meat consumption associated with higher risk for childhood wheeze
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Children who consumed greater amounts of advanced glycation end products, found in high levels in meat, had an increased likelihood for developing wheeze, according to researchers.
“Dietary advanced glycation end products are highly oxidant, proinflammatory compounds, with highest levels present in cooked meats,” Jing Gennie Wang, MD, assistant professor in the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, and colleagues wrote. “Our results expand on current literature supporting a link between a proinflammatory dietary pattern and wheezing.”
Researchers assessed 4,388 children (aged 2 to 17 years) from the 2003 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and evaluated the associations between dietary advanced glycation end product and meat consumption frequencies and respiratory symptoms.
Thirteen percent of pediatric participants reported wheezing in the past year. Those with higher glycotoxin scores demonstrated a significant association with increased odds in the past year for wheezing (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.36), at least one sleep disturbance due to wheeze (OR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.05-1.51), wheezing during exercise (OR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.08-1.67) and wheezing requiring prescription medication (OR = 1.35; 95% CI, 1.13-1.63).
Researchers observed a statistically significant positive correlation between advanced glycation end product score and non-seafood meat consumption (P < .0001) consistent with meats containing high amounts of glycotoxins. Increased consumption of non-seafood meat was associated with increased odds for wheezing requiring prescription medication (OR = 2.23; 95% CI, 1.10-4.54) and sleep disturbances due to wheeze (OR = 2.32; 95% CI, 1.11-4.82).
According to a related press release, regardless of overall diet quality or an established diagnosis of asthma, glycotoxins derived from consuming non-seafood meats continue to be associated with an increased risk for wheezing in children.
“Research identifying dietary factors that influence respiratory symptoms in children is important, as these risks are potentially modifiable and can help guide health recommendations,” Sonali Bose, MD, assistant professor in the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine and pediatrics at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, said in the release. “Our findings will hopefully inform future longitudinal studies to further investigate whether these specific dietary components play a role in childhood airways disease such as asthma.”