The DASH Diet for Adults With Uncontrolled Asthma

Exclusion Criteria

• •Intermittent asthma, defined as either seasonal asthma or (daytime asthma symptoms \<2x/week and nocturnal symptoms \<2x/month and no use of long-term control medications)
• •Primary diagnosis of COPD (emphysema or chronic bronchitis) on the current medical problem list or suggested by baseline spirometry and smoking history
• •Previous diabetes (other than during pregnancy) or diabetes diagnosed as a result of fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1c levels obtained at screening
• •Previous cardiovascular disease: e.g., coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, or aortic aneurysm
• •Diagnosis of cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) that is/was active or treated with radiation or chemotherapy within the past 2 years
• •Inflammatory bowel disease, colostomy, malabsorption, or major gastrointestinal resection
• •Diagnosis of bipolar or psychotic disorder or hospitalization for psychological or emotional problems within the last 2 years
• •Diagnosis of a terminal illness and/or in hospice care
• •Fasting LDL cholesterol \>190 mg/dL, triglycerides \>500 mg/dl, fasting blood glucose \>125 mg/dl
• •Significant liver enzyme abnormality as indicated by AST or ALT more than 2 times the upper limit of normal or a clinical diagnosis of hepatitis
• •Renal insufficiency (GFR\<60 ml/min)
• •Current use of insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents
• •Use of oral corticosteroids \>5 days/month on average
• •Current use of medications for treatment of psychosis or manic-depressive illness
• •Current use of prescription or non-prescription weight-loss products or any dietary/herbal supplements and unwillingness to discontinue;
• •Inability to speak, read, or understand English at the 6th-grade level or above
• •Inability to perform pulmonary function tests by spirometry in a consistent manner
• •DASH concordance index \>60%
• •Unwillingness to modify current diet
• •Current or planned participation in a structured program that overtly focuses on diet and nutrition
• •Planning to undergo bariatric surgery during the study period
• •Actively attempting to lose weight, or weight change \>15 lbs during prior 3 months
• •Consumption of \>21 alcoholic drinks per week, or \>=6 drinks on one occasion twice or more per week, or alcoholism as determined by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
• •Pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant during the study period
• •No longer a Kaiser patient or planning to transfer care out of Kaiser or to move out of the area during the study period
• •Family/household member of another study participant or of a study staff member
• •Enrolled or planning to enroll in another research study that would limit full participation in the study or confound the interpretation of the study's findings
• •Investigator discretion for safety or protocol adherence reasons