A note to parents whose schedules are so cramped for time that they often buy food for their children at drive-by, French-fried, fast-food restaurants on their way home: You may be setting them up for asthma and wheezing problems down the road, according to a new study based on the nutritional habits of some 50,000 kids around the world (including 30,000 who were tested for allergies) living in richer and poorer countries.

Diet didn't influence children's allergies, but it did play a role in lowering and raising their risks of wheezing and asthma. To the good, the ever-popular Mediterranean Diet -- full of fish, fruits and vegetables -- was generally associated with lowering these risks.

Although a diet heavy on meat had no effect on the prevalence of asthma and wheezing, eating at least three hamburgers per week was linked to a higher lifetime risk of both respiratory problems. And, eating too many burgers, researchers say, may be a big hint that other lifestyle changes are necessary.

Thorax, Vol. 65, No. 6, pp. 516-522, June 2010

MSNBC June 2, 2010

ScienceDaily June 7, 2010

healthfinder.gov June 3, 2010