The method uses a special composite indicator, called POLA, calculated on the basis of 15 food ingredients and the amount of fruit, vegetables and nuts a person eats, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
Measuring a patient’s POLA index enables doctors and dieticians to assess whether the choice of food strengthens the person’s immune system, boosting their resilience to various infections, such as COVID-19, the Jagiellonian University researchers said.
“It is then relatively easy to suggest some changes in the quantity and quality of the food products consumed by the patient, to bolster their immune system,” said Dr. Paweł Jagielski, who oversaw the study.
Jagielski added: “The POLA index can also be used in research into the relation between diet and the risk of catching various illnesses, including upper respiratory-tract infections.”
Balanced diet improves resilience to COVID-19
Last year, based on existing literature on the impact of diet on the strength of the immune system, and spurred on by the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kraków researchers proved that a balanced diet may reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus for young, physically active and non-obese young people.
This year, they continued their studies with the development of the POLA index, which was tested on a group of 95 adults without “comorbidities” and with a preference for traditional or vegetarian food.
Good POLA score reduces risk of catching COVID-19
The research found that for people with a “favourable” POLA score, the risk of catching COVID-19 was some 80 percent lower than for those with a “very unfavourable” POLA score.
The findings have been published in the scientific journal Nutrients, with the Jagiellonian University researchers noting that “a healthy lifestyle, including a well-balanced diet, moderate physical activity, maintenance of normal body weight, and stress management, contributes to optimal immune function.”
They added: “On the other hand, in addition to rare cases of innate immune dysfunction, lifestyle factors such as dietary errors, smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity, exhaustion, and insufficient sleep can lead to impaired immunity.”
The POLA index has been developed based on the premise that “good nutrition ensures optimal immune function, while poor eating habits contribute to immune impairment,” the Polish scientists said.
Although the index has so far been tested only in relation to COVID-19, it is thought to potentially have a much broader application, but further studies are necessary before POLA can be used in clinical practice, the Jagiellonian University researchers told the PAP news agency.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, Nutrients