Higher Phytochemical Intake Linked to Improved Pediatric Asthma Outcomes

Higher dietary intake of phytochemicals is associated with improved asthma control, reduced disease severity, and lower systemic inflammation in children, according to a case-control study of 300 pediatric participants aged 5 to 12 years.

The study evaluated the Dietary Phytochemical Index (DPI)—a measure of the percentage of daily caloric intake from phytochemical-rich foods—and its relationship to asthma outcomes.

“Children in the highest DPI tertile had lower CRP levels (1.99 vs. 4.02 mg/L), higher PAQLQ scores (4.33 vs. 3.89), lower PASS scores (6.35 vs. 11.14), and higher C-ACT scores (21.45 vs. 13.91),” the authors reported (all p < .001).

Multivariate analysis confirmed strong associations between higher DPI and favorable asthma outcomes: lower inflammation (CRP: β = −0.026), higher quality of life (PAQLQ: β = 0.058), reduced severity (PASS: β = −0.148), and improved control (C-ACT: β = 0.364) (all p < .001). Each one-unit increase in DPI corresponded to an 11% reduction in asthma odds (OR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.86–0.91; p < .001), after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, physical activity, energy intake, fiber, and vitamin D.

Moreover, children in the highest DPI tertile had 94% lower odds of asthma compared with those in the lowest tertile (OR = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.03–0.13; p < .001).

“Dietary phytochemical intake may be a modifiable factor in pediatric asthma,” the authors concluded. These findings support the potential role of dietary interventions as adjunctive strategies to reduce inflammation and improve quality of life in pediatric asthma management.

Reference
Jiang R, Liu W, Wang G. Dietary phytochemical intake and asthma in children: a case-control study. Eur J Pediatr. Published online December 3, 2025. doi:10.1007/s00431-025-06634-3