A Western dietary pattern is related to higher risk of allergic rhinitis in young women

The prevalence of allergic disorders has been increasing globally, and it may be useful to identify the modifiable factors associated with it. Diet has been identified as one possible lifestyle factor implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. The goal of this study was to evaluate the associations between dietary patterns and the presence of allergies in a group of young women in eastern Iran. In all, 181 female students were enrolled. Screening for presence of allergic diseases, including allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma and eczema, was performed by an expert allergist. Information about dietary intake was collected using a validated 65-item food frequency questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between food/nutrition variables. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E levels were significantly higher in the group in the third tertile (highest adherence) for a Western dietary pattern compared to the group in the first tertile (lowest adherence). The multivariate odds ratio for presence of allergic rhinitis (AR) was 2.5 (95% CI:1.1-5.1) for the highest compared to lowest tertile of the Western dietary pattern score. However, no significant relationship was found between a traditional dietary pattern and AR, asthma or eczema. Our findings indicate a potential role in the development of AR of the Western dietary pattern, which is characterized by high intake of dairy products, snacks, nuts and sugar. Since diet is a modifiable factor, the relationship between AR and a Western dietary pattern may have clinical implications, particularly in subjects with other risk factors for developing AR.