Healthy diet may help decrease childhood asthma symptoms

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A new study finds avoiding certain fatty foods and adding omega-3 fish oils to a child's diet may help decrease their asthma symptoms.

Asthma attacks used to be a regular part of 14-year-old Arturo Vega's life. He started cooking at age 8, and now his culinary flair is helping him manage his asthma.

"Perhaps having more of this healthy type of fat that has an anti-inflammatory effect could actually help treat asthma and treat the inflammation with asthma," said Dr. Jason Lang, a pulmonary pediatrician at Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida.

Doctors also say overweight asthma patients are at a disadvantage.

"When kids are obese they respond to the normal asthma medicines in a reduced manner," said Lang.

As part of the study, Vega logs the food he eats, and takes an omega-3 supplement.

Tamaris Cruz, Vega's mother, says her son hasn't had to use his asthma medicine since May. Vega says he hasn't had an asthma attack since he started the study, and he has more energy.

He's hoping to use his experience and his passion for cooking to become a healthy celebrity chef.

Lang is in the process of extending the study through May 2016. Experts hope these findings will add to the growing evidence that diet can have a positive impact on obese children with asthma.