By now, you’ve probably heard that a steady diet of fast food may be a major contributor to obesity in America, but a growing number of studies point to another junk food connection—asthma, eczema and allergies in kids.

The new research published in the international journal Thorax found that teenagers who ate fast foods three or more times a week had a 39% increased risk of severe asthma and a 70% increased risk of severe eczema.

In younger children, lower amounts of fast food—only once or twice a week--were significantly associated with wheezing and severe asthma. Children who ate fast food three or more times a week had a higher risk of rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema as well.

Protective Foods

Interestingly, some foods were found to have a protective effect. Children and teens that ate fruit three or more times a week were less likely to suffer from asthma and eczema. Even having fruit once or twice a week was associated with less wheezing, asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis.

The large international study based its findings on data from more than 319,000 13-14 year olds from 107 locations in 51 countries, and more than 181,000 six to seven year olds from 64 locations in 31 countries.

Bad Fats to Blame

The authors suggest that there are plausible explanations for the findings: fast food contains high levels of saturated and trans fatty acids, which are known to affect immunity, while fruit is rich in antioxidants and other beneficial compounds.

Sources:

MedPage Today

Science Daily

A class of chemicals called phthalates found in household products like vinyl flooring and wallpaper as well as personal products have been linked to childhood obesity and many other health concerns. Now a new study finds that prenatal exposure to a particular phthalate is associated with a significantly higher risk of childhood eczema.

Researchers measured the amount of butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP) in the urine of 400 women during the third trimester of pregnancy and all but one had evidence of some exposure to BBzP. After the mothers delivered and during a two-year follow up period, researchers found that children of mothers exposed to higher concentrations of the chemical were 52% more likely to develop eczema by age 2.

Eczema Triggers

Eczema is a common and uncomfortable disease of early childhood characterized by dry, itchy, red skin on the face, scalp, hands or feet.

The current medical view is that hereditary factors, allergens and exposure to tobacco smoke contribute to eczema.

However, the researchers don’t know how BBzP might trigger eczema symptoms. They did test the children for common allergies such as dust mites, cockroaches and mice to rule those out as potential trigger. The researchers found no link between BBzP exposure and allergies.

Avoiding Phthalates

Unfortunately you won’t find the word “phthalates” on a product label, but you can avoid many phthalates by following these tips:

1. Read the ingredients. You can identify phthalates in some products by their chemical names, or abbreviations:
   • DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) and DEP (diethyl phthalate) are often found in personal care products, including nail polishes, deodorants, perfumes and cologne, aftershave lotions, shampoos, hair gels and hand lotions.
   • DEHP (di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) is used in PVC plastics, including some medical devices like intravenous tubing.
   • BzBP (benzylbutyl phthalate) is used in some flooring, car products and personal care products.
   • DMP (dimethyl phthalate) is used in insect repellent and some plastics
2. Watch out for the term "fragrance," which may include phthalates.
3. Choose plastics with the recycling code 1, 2 or 5. Recycling codes 3 and 7 are more likely to contain bisphenol A or phthalates.

For women, one of the greatest sources of phthalates and other toxins may be your cosmetics and other beauty products. However, find out why they can be difficult to root out in our exposé: The Real Cost of Beauty: Dangerous Toxins Lurking in Your Cosmetics.

Sources:

Health Finder

The Daily Green

A new study adds to growing evidence that not getting enough exposure to sunlight may increase our risk of some health conditions.

Researchers from the European Centre for Environment & Human Health, along with several Australian institutions, have found that children living in areas with lower levels of sunlight and low vitamin D status are at greater risk of developing food allergies and the skin condition eczema, compared to those in areas with higher amounts of UV light.

Using data from a study of Australian children, they examined how rates of food allergy, eczema and asthma varied throughout the country. They identified a link between latitude and allergies to peanut and egg and found that children in southern Australia are twice as likely to develop eczema as those in the north.

But it’s not just allergies and eczema that we need to worry about, many other aspects of good health are linked to sun exposure.

Sunlight and Health

Our bodies need sunlight to synthesize vitamin D in the skin. Those who live closest to the equator typically receive higher levels of sunshine than those who live closer to earth’s poles.

However, many lifestyle factors such as spending more time indoors and sunscreen use have led to widespread vitamin D deficiency in many Americans. Those who have dark skin and live further from the equator are also at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is best known for building strong bones and teeth but it is also essential for the health of many other tissues and organs. In fact, virtually every cell in your body has vitamin D receptors indicating that Vitamin D plays a role in its normal functioning.

In addition to bone health, vitamin D supports:

• Immune health
• The growth and development of normal cells
• Inflammatory balance

To prevent vitamin D deficiency, it’s important to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of direct sunlight every day on bare skin without using sunscreen.

Learn more about your risks for Vitamin D deficiency here.

Sources:

Nutraingredients

WebMD