Asthma and Fibre Study

The FAIM Study - Dietary fibre as a modulator of airway inflammation in asthma

University of Newcastle researchers are looking into whether eating more dietary fibre could help to reduce inflammation in the airways of people with asthma.

Associate Professor Lisa Wood, Dr Katherine Baines, Dr Bronwyn Berthon and Prof Peter Gibson from the University of Newcastle believe that simply eating more dietary fibre may be able to help control asthma.

We are recruiting participants for a randomised controlled clinical trial to find out how and why dietary fibre may help people with asthma. The trial duration is 9 weeks, including 6 visits to the clinical trials assessment facility at HMRI. During the trial participants will be asked to consume a prebiotic (soluble fibre) supplement, a probiotic supplement and placebo and modify their diet, by consuming two serves of fruit or vegetables and eat All-Bran each day.

For detailed information on the trial please read the participant information and consent form.

What you eat when you have asthma is important, Associate Professor Lisa Wood states that "we know from other trials that we have done at HMRI that people with asthma may not eat enough fibre, and that more fibre in the diet is related to better lung function and less inflammation in the airways."

We are encouraging adults with asthma that are interested in improving their asthma to enrol in the trial.

"When we eat soluble fibre, the healthy bacteria in our gut break fibre down to create compounds that travel into the bloodstream and have positive effects throughout the body. Our study will examine whether this process also improves lung health. Fibre has anti-inflammatory benefits; we want to look at how these benefits occur and understand the mechanisms behind them."

"There is no cure for asthma, so the more we know about the effects of diet in asthma, the more we can help people to get their asthma under control."

Those who would like to participate in the trial can phone 4042 0116 or email Bronwyn.Berthon@newcastle.edu.au or Lisa.Wood@newcastle.edu.au.

* Associate Professor Lisa Wood , Dr Katherine Baines, Dr Bronwyn Berthon and Prof Peter Gibson are from the University of Newcastle, researching in conjunction with HMRI's VIVA program. HMRI is a partnership between the University of Newcastle, Hunter New England Health and the community.