Study: Eating More Fruit May Shield Lungs From Air Pollution

Study: Eating More Fruit May Shield Lungs From Air Pollution

A new study has found that eating more fruit could help protect the lungs from air pollution damage, particularly in women.

The research, presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, suggests that fruit may act as a natural defense against harmful particles in the air. The strongest effects were seen in women who ate four or more servings of fruit daily.

Air pollution, especially fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, comes from sources such as vehicle exhaust and industrial emissions. These particles are linked to asthma, COPD, reduced lung function, and even heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, over 90% of the world’s population is exposed to unsafe levels of air pollution.

Using data from nearly 200,000 participants in the UK Biobank, researchers compared dietary habits with lung performance, measured by FEV1 — the amount of air a person can exhale in one second. They also considered exposure to PM2.5, along with factors such as age, height, and socioeconomic status.

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Results showed a clear difference. Women with low fruit intake lost 78.1 milliliters of lung capacity per second for every five microgames of PM2.5 exposure. Women with higher fruit intake, however, recorded a smaller loss of 57.5 milliliters.

Pimpika Kaewsri, a PhD student at the University of Leicester who led the study, said the findings highlight the role of diet in lung health.

“A healthy diet is linked to better lung function in both men and women,” she explained. “But women who consumed four or more portions of fruit per day had smaller reductions in lung function linked to air pollution.”

Kaewsri added that the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruit may help reduce the oxidative stress caused by polluted air.

The study also noted that men generally reported lower fruit consumption, which may explain why the protective effect was not observed in them.

The findings underline a simple message: eating more fruit may not only support overall health but also help the lungs fight the harmful effects of polluted air.

 

 

 

 

Content Credit: Moyosola Oni

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