Overview
- For each 5 µg/m³ rise in PM2.5, FEV1 fell by 78.1 ml in low-fruit consumers versus 57.5 ml in women reporting four or more fruit portions daily.
- The apparent protective association was strongest in women, with researchers noting men in the cohort generally reported lower fruit intake.
- The cross-sectional analysis used data from 207,421 UK Biobank participants, comparing dietary patterns with spirometry (FEV1) and modeled PM2.5 exposure.
- Investigators propose antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in fruit as a plausible mechanism and plan follow-up work on changes in lung function over time.
- External experts and Asthma + Lung UK caution that the evidence is observational, access to healthy food is unequal, and dietary measures do not replace medication or the need for stronger air-quality standards aligned with WHO guidance.