Also consider that asthma has gotten a lot worse over the past few decades. From 1980 through 1994, asthma rates in developed countries rose by more than sixty percent. There are probably many causes for the increase, but it may not be a coincidence that obesity rates skyrocketed at the same time. Obesity has been linked to the growing availability of high calorie, high fat foods–the same types of food that may also contribute to asthma. In any case, it’s well known that high fat and high salt junk food is bad for your waistline and for health generally. The idea that fatty foods may harm breathing, too, is one more reason to cut back.