Children and fruit consumption: Children who consume vitamin C-rich fruit are less likely to experience wheezing—a breathing disorder associated with asthma. In this study, children (n=18,737; 6-7 years old) who ate kiwi or citrus fruits 5 to 7 times a week were about 30% less likely than other children who ate fruit less than once a week to suffer from wheezing [odds ratio (OR)=0.68], chronic coughing (OR=0.75), nighttime coughing (OR=0.73), or non-coryzal rhinitis (OR=0.72). The beneficial effect of vitamin C rich fruit was seen even in children with fruit consumption of only 1 to 2 times per week. Fruit consumption appeared to be most beneficial among children who already had asthma. Asthmatics who ate fruit once a week had a 1-year occurrence of wheeze of 29.3% compared with 47.1% for asthmatic children who ate fruit less than once a week. (54)
