Meat makes kids wheeze
Cooked meat is linked to childhood asthma
Inflammatory compounds in cooked meat have been linked to childhood wheezing in a study published in Thorax. Over 4,000 children, aged between two and 17, took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) programme. They found that a higher intake of compounds called ‘advanced glycation end-products’ (AGEs) was linked to an increased risk of wheezing, so bad that it disrupted sleep and exercise and required prescription medication.
Higher intakes of meat were also linked to wheezing in the same way. AGEs are produced by high-temperature cooking, such as grilling, frying and roasting, and meat is a major dietary source. This may help explain the rise in asthma cases seen in recent decades in US children.
Wang JG, Liu B, Kroll F et al., 2020. Increased advanced glycation end product and meat consumption is associated with childhood wheeze: analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Thorax. Epub ahead of print.
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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