Abstract
Objective: To investigate whether average intake of antioxidants, fruits, vegetables and fish may help to explain international differences in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality.
Design: Ecological analysis using information on baseline diet and the 25-year COPD mortality rate in the 16 cohorts of the Seven Countries Study.
Setting: Population-based cohorts.
Subjects: Men aged 40–59 years at baseline.
Methods: Dietary information was collected at baseline in small random samples of each cohort. In 1987 the reported foods were bought locally and analysed chemically. After 25 years of follow-up the underlying cause of death of those who died was established centrally. COPD mortality rate ratios were calculated, for a change equivalent to 10% of the overall mean consumption of a dietary factor.
Results: We observed independent inverse associations between 25-year COPD mortality and baseline consumption of fruits (rate ratio 0.49; 95% confidence interval 0.36–0.67) and fish (rate ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval 0.93–1.00), after adjustment for potential confounders. COPD mortality showed no statistically significant association with intake of antioxidants or vegetables. Fruit and fish consumption together explained about 67% of the variance in the COPD mortality rates of the cohorts.
Conclusions: Fruit and fish consumption may partly explain population differences in COPD mortality. This is in accordance with suggestions for a relationship between fruit and fish consumption and COPD observed in studies in individuals.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Consortia
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tabak, C., Feskens, E., Heederik, D. et al. Fruit and fish consumption: a possible explanation for population differences in COPD mortality (The Seven Countries Study). Eur J Clin Nutr 52, 819–825 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600653
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600653
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
A systematic review of the role of vitamin insufficiencies and supplementation in COPD
Respiratory Research (2010)
-
Dietary factors in the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports (2003)