NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who eat aMediterranean diet while pregnant could help stave off asthma andallergies in their children, a new study suggests.

The traditional Mediterranean diet is rich in plant-based foods– vegetables, fruits, whole grain breads and cereals, legumes, andnuts — as well as olive oil and fish. Adherents consume low tomoderate amounts of dairy products and eggs, lesser amounts ofwhite meat, and infrequently eat red meat.

Some studies have suggested that such eating patterns can lowerchildren’s odds of asthma symptoms and skin and nasal allergies.But it’s unclear whether women can affect their children’s futureallergy risks by following a Mediterranean diet duringpregnancy.