Recent studies confirm that diet affects your risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), providing yet another reason to eat healthy foods!

Your diet may influence your risk of COPD, studies show. One study of data from more than 51,000 men finds that those who consumed a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and fish had a 50%lower risk of developing COPD than men who ate a diet rich in refined grains, cured and red meats, desserts, and french fries.

A separate study of data from more than 72,000 women found similar results. A third study suggests that frequently eating cured meat (bacon, sausage, luncheon meats, cured ham) lowers lung function and increases the odds of developing COPD.

Researchers examined data from more than 7,000 people and found that those who ate cured meats 14 times or more per month had almost twice the risk of COPD as people who didn’t. The most likely explanation: Cured meats are high in nitrates, which generate substances that may damage the lungs. There are many health reasons for indulging in healthier cuisine-- now you can add to the list a potentially reduced risk of COPD.

[COPD data was reported in the following journals: Thorax (Volume 62, page 785), American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Volume 86, page 488), American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (Volume 175).