Table 1

ORs* (95% CI) for associations between current symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema and diet variables for all centres combined in adolescents aged 13–14 years

ExposureCurrent wheezeSevere asthmaCurrent wheeze (VQ)RhinoconjunctivitisSevere rhinoconjunctivitisEczemaSevere eczema
Butter
 1or2×wk1.05 (1.00 to 1.10)1.07 (1.01 to 1.14)1.07 (1.00 to 1.14)1.01 (0.96 to 1.05)1.17 (1.02 to 1.35)0.99 (0.93 to 1.05)1.06 (0.94 to 1.19)
 ≥3×wk1.06 (1.01 to 1.12)1.11 (1.04 to 1.18)1.11 (1.02 to 1.20)1.10 (1.05 to 1.16)1.37 (1.18 to 1.58)1.10 (1.03 to 1.17)1.30 (1.15 to 1.48)
Cereals
 1or2×wk1.01 (0.94 to 1.09)0.97 (0.89 to 1.06)0.96 (0.87 to 1.05)0.98 (0.91 to 1.05)0.82 (0.68 to 0.99)0.98 (0.90 to 1.07)0.90 (0.76 to 1.07)
 ≥3×wk1.02 (0.95 to 1.09)0.93 (0.86 to 1.01)0.99 (0.91 to 1.08)1.02 (0.96 to 1.09)0.98 (0.82 to 1.17)1.02 (0.94 to 1.10)1.00 (0.85 to 1.17)
Eggs
 1or2×wk0.98 (0.93 to 1.04)0.93 (0.87 to 0.99)0.93 (0.86 to 1.00)0.92 (0.87 to 0.97)0.91 (0.78 to 1.05)0.97 (0.91 to 1.03)0.88 (0.77 to 1.00)
 ≥3×wk1.05 (0.99 to 1.12)1.08 (1.01 to 1.17)1.02 (0.94 to 1.11)1.02 (0.96 to 1.08)1.17 (1.01 to 1.37)1.11 (1.04 to 1.20)1.15 (0.99 to 1.32)
Fast food
 1or2×wk1.08 (1.03 to 1.13)1.09 (1.03 to 1.15)1.12 (1.05 to 1.19)1.05 (1.01 to 1.10)1.08 (0.96 to 1.22)1.04 (0.99 to 1.10)1.18 (1.05 to 1.32)
 ≥3×wk1.25 (1.18 to 1.33)1.39 (1.30 to 1.49)1.24 (1.14 to 1.34)1.21 (1.14 to 1.28)1.73 (1.50 to 2.00)1.20 (1.11 to 1.28)1.70 (1.48 to 1.95)
Fruit
 1or2×wk0.90 (0.83 to 0.97)0.89 (0.82 to 0.98)0.92 (0.83 to 1.02)0.84 (0.78 to 0.91)0.79 (0.65 to 0.95)0.97 (0.89 to 1.06)0.81 (0.67 to 0.97)
 ≥3×wk0.87 (0.81 to 0.94)0.89 (0.82 to 0.97)0.85 (0.77 to 0.93)0.85 (0.80 to 0.91)0.83 (0.70 to 1.00)0.99 (0.91 to 1.08)0.89 (0.76 to 1.06)
Margarine
 1or2×wk1.06 (1.01 to 1.11)1.07 (1.00 to 1.13)1.09 (1.02 to 1.17)1.00 (0.95 to 1.05)0.98 (0.85 to 1.12)1.04 (0.98 to 1.11)1.05 (0.92 to 1.19)
 ≥3×wk1.11 (1.05 to 1.18)1.14 (1.06 to 1.22)1.13 (1.03 to 1.23)1.15 (1.09 to 1.22)1.35 (1.16 to 1.57)1.17 (1.10 to 1.26)1.32 (1.15 to 1.51)
Meat
 1or2×wk1.02 (0.94 to 1.09)0.96 (0.88 to 1.06)0.98 (0.88 to 1.08)0.94 (0.87 to 1.01)1.00 (0.82 to 1.21)0.91 (0.83 to 0.99)0.93 (0.78 to 1.10)
 ≥3×wk1.13 (1.05 to 1.22)1.06 (0.97 to 1.17)1.05 (0.95 to 1.17)1.11 (1.03 to 1.20)1.32 (1.08 to 1.61)1.07 (0.99 to 1.17)1.10 (0.93 to 1.31)
Milk
 1or2×wk0.93 (0.87 to 0.99)0.95 (0.88 to 1.03)0.91 (0.83 to 1.00)0.92 (0.87 to 0.98)0.84 (0.71 to 0.99)0.90 (0.83 to 0.97)0.85 (0.73 to 0.99)
 ≥3×wk0.94 (0.89 to 1.00)0.90 (0.84 to 0.97)0.87 (0.80 to 0.95)0.95 (0.89 to 1.00)0.95 (0.82 to 1.11)0.89 (0.83 to 0.96)0.87 (0.76 to 1.00)
Nuts
 1or2×wk1.04 (1.00 to 1.09)1.10 (1.04 to 1.17)1.03 (0.96 to 1.09)1.01 (0.96 to 1.05)1.00 (0.89 to 1.14)1.09 (1.03 to 1.15)1.12 (1.00 to 1.25)
 ≥3×wk1.10 (1.02 to 1.18)1.28 (1.18 to 1.39)1.02 (0.93 to 1.13)1.10 (1.03 to 1.18)1.78 (1.52 to 2.08)1.21 (1.12 to 1.31)1.59 1.36 to 1.85)
Pasta
 1or2×wk1.07 (1.01 to 1.13)1.09 (1.02 to 1.17)1.08 (1.00 to 1.16)1.03 (0.97 to 1.08)0.96 (0.82 to 1.12)0.99 (0.93 to 1.06)0.97 (0.85 to 1.11)
 ≥3×wk1.15 (1.07 to 1.22)1.25 (1.15 to 1.35)1.16 (1.06 to 1.27)1.15 (1.08 to 1.22)1.47 (1.24 to 1.74)1.13 (1.05 to 1.22)1.38 (1.19 to 1.60)
Potato
 1or2×wk1.00 (0.94 to 1.06)0.98 (0.91 to 1.06)1.01 (0.93 to 1.11)0.97 (0.91 to 1.03)0.96 (0.82 to 1.13)1.02 (0.94 to 1.10)1.05 (0.89 to 1.22)
 ≥3×wk1.03 (0.97 to 1.11)1.06 (0.98 to 1.16)1.06 (0.97 to 1.16)1.07 (1.00 to 1.14)1.23 (1.04 to 1.46)1.12 (1.03 to 1.22)1.31 (1.12 to 1.55)
Pulses
 1or2×wk1.01 (0.96 to 1.06)1.04 (0.97 to 1.10)0.99 (0.92 to 1.06)0.99 (0.94 to 1.04)0.98 (0.86 to 1.12)1.03 (0.97 to 1.10)0.95 (0.84 to 1.08)
 ≥3×wk1.02 (0.96 to 1.09)1.15 (1.07 to 1.24)1.06 (0.97 to 1.15)1.09 (1.03 to 1.16)1.26 (1.08 to 1.47)1.17 (1.09 to 1.26)1.26 (1.10 to 1.45)
Rice
 1or2×wk0.97 (0.91 to 1.04)0.96 (0.89 to 1.04)0.95 (0.87 to 1.03)1.02 (0.96 to 1.09)0.98 (0.81 to 1.18)1.00 (0.93 to 1.08)0.95 (0.80 to 1.13)
 ≥3×wk1.06 (0.98 to 1.13)1.08 (0.99 to 1.18)1.03 (0.94 to 1.14)1.13 (1.06 to 1.21)1.27 (1.04 to 1.54)1.13 (1.04 to 1.23)1.28 (1.07 to 1.53)
Seafood
 1or2×wk1.02 (0.98 to 1.07)1.05 (0.99 to 1.11)0.97 (0.91 to 1.04)1.01 (0.97 to 1.06)1.03 (0.91 to 1.17)1.08 (1.03 to 1.14)1.07 (0.96 to 1.20)
 ≥3×wk1.06 (0.99 to 1.14)1.18 (1.09 to 1.28)1.09 (0.99 to 1.20)1.07 (1.00 to 1.15)1.49 (1.26 to 1.76)1.21 (1.11 to 1.31)1.35 (1.15 to 1.59)
Vegetables
 1or2×wk0.95 (0.89 to 1.01)0.93 (0.86 to 1.00)0.89 (0.82 to 0.97)0.94 (0.88 to 1.00)0.81 (0.68 to 0.96)0.94 (0.88 to 1.02)0.81 (0.70 to 0.94)
 ≥3×wk0.93 (0.87 to 0.99)0.95 (0.88 to 1.02)0.88 (0.81 to 0.96)0.99 (0.93 to 1.05)0.95 (0.81 to 1.11)1.02 (0.95 to 1.10)0.96 (0.83 to 1.10)
  • Statistically significant inverse associations are identified by bold italic text and statistically significant positive associations are identified by bold text.

  • Adjusted for region, gender, language, Gross National Income, exercise, television viewing, maternal education and current maternal smoking.

  • *Frequent consumption of foods ‘once or twice per week’ and ‘≥3 times per week’ in relation to ‘never or only occasionally’ as the base category.