Good COP(D)
People who follow a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains cut their risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by half, new research shows. Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health looked at over 40,000 men and found that those who ate the most fruit, vegetables and whole grains had a 50 per cent lower risk of developing COPD compared to those who ate a typical Western diet rich in processed foods, refined sugars, and cured and red meats. While the most important public health message must be stopping smoking this research shows that diet may also affect risk of COPD which is expected to become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020.
Varraso, R., Fung, T.T., Hu, F.B., Willett, W. and Camargo, C.A. Jr. 2007. Prospective study of dietary patterns and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among US men. Thorax. 62 (9) 786-791.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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