Could eating more vegetables, fish, and olive oil help protect you from asthma? New research suggests yes.
For years, the Mediterranean diet has been celebrated for its benefits to the heart. Now, a major long-term study suggests it may also shield adults from developing asthma, a finding that could reshape how we think about respiratory health.
Researchers analysed data from 17,127 adults enrolled in the SUN Project (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra), a long-running prospective study of university graduates in Spain (Errasti Viader et al., 2026). Participants had no airway disease at the start of the study and were followed for an average of 12.8 years (Errasti Viader et al., 2026).
Over that follow-up period, participants with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet, scored 7 or above on a standardised Mediterranean Diet Score, showed a 42% lower risk of developing asthma compared to those with the lowest adherence (Lim et al., 2026). This protective association persisted after accounting for factors like body mass index, smoking, and chronic disease, and was particularly pronounced in participants aged 35 and over (Lim et al., 2026).
The Mediterranean diet is characterised by high intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and fish, alongside low consumption of red and processed meats (Errasti Viader et al., 2026). Researchers believe its well-established anti-inflammatory properties may be key, as chronic low-grade inflammation is thought to play a central role in asthma development.
Clinicians can reasonably consider including Mediterranean-style eating in respiratory prevention counselling, alongside advice on smoking cessation, exercise, weight control, and reducing environmental exposures (Medscape, 2026).
The study, published in Respirology, is among the most robust of its kind. While more research is needed to confirm whether these findings apply across different populations and ethnicities, the message is an encouraging one: the way we eat every day may have a meaningful impact on our lung health for years to come.
References
Errasti Viader, J., de la Fuente-Arrillaga, C., Campo Ezquibela, A., Sayon-Orea, C., Martínez-González, M.A. and Bes-Rastrollo, M. (2026) ‘Association between Mediterranean diet and the incidence of adult-onset asthma in the SUN project: a Spanish prospective cohort study’, Respirology, pp. 1–9. doi: 10.1002/resp.70200.
Lim, R. et al. (2026) ‘Food for the lungs: the Mediterranean diet and adult-onset asthma’, Respirology. doi: 10.1002/resp.70208.
Medscape (2026) Mediterranean diet linked to lower adult-onset asthma risk. Available at: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/mediterranean-diet-linked-lower-adult-onset-asthma-risk-2026a1000aci (Accessed: 27 April 2026).
