The Relationship between Asthma and Overweight in Urban Minority Children. RESULTS

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One-hundred-nine children were included in the study. Eleven children were excluded because of unacceptable pulmonary function tests. The demographics and other characteristics are shown in Table 2. Overall, 58 children (53%) were overweight (BMI >85th percentile). Girls were more likely to be overweight (35/61, 57%) compared with boys (24/48, 50%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.46). Eighteen (17%) children were diagnosed with asthma by a physician, but spirometry parameters were consistent with a diagnosis of asthma in only two of these 18 children. There was not a statistically significant difference between the overweight (8/58, 14%) and lean children (9/51, 18%) with regard to a physician diagnosis of asthma(p=0.412), nor was there a statistically significant association between asthma symptoms and the diagnosis of asthma based on spirometry.

Table 2. Demographics and clinical characteristics of the study population

Age (years, mean ± SD)	14.7 ± 1.6
Gender (male/female)	48/61
Body mass index	26 ± 7.8
Body mass index percentile	77 ±23
Weight (kg)	73 ±22
Height (cm)	147 ±22
Ethnic Group (n, %)
African Americans	80 (74%)
Whites	29 (26%)

Twelve children (11%) met the criteria for asthma based on objective measures of lung functions by spirometry. Of these 12 children, nine (75%) were overweight. All 12 children demonstrated a significant response to albuterol, defined as an increase in FEVi of >12%. There was no statistically significant difference between male and female [seven (15%) vs. five (8%), p=0.2] with regard to the diagnosis of asthma on the basis of spirometry. Children with asthma were almost 1.5 times more likely to be overweight compared with children without asthma (relative risk: 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.015-2.17). When overweight was considered as the risk factor and asthma as the outcome, results were not statistically significant. Suffer no more! Buy flomax canada online at a price you can afford.

Table 3. Comparison of overweight [body mass index (BMI) >85th percentile] and lean children (BMI <85th percentile) with regard to asthma symptoms and spirometry parameters

Symptom/Variable		BMI	P
	>85th Percentile (n=58)	<85th Percentile (n=51)
Wheezing any time*	10/58 (17%)	9/51 (17%)	0.56
Wheezing with exercise*	22/58 (37%)	17/51(33%)	0.36
Wheezing while sleeping*	9/58 (16%)	7/51 (12%)	0.40
Cough at night*	17/58 (29%)	9/51 (17%)	0.11
A severe attack of wheezing*	3/58 (5%)	2/51 (4%)	0.50
FEVt (L) percentage of predicted at baseline**    83 ± 7		87 ± 6	0.03
FEVt/FVC (%) baseline***	87 ±8	93 ±6	O.001
FEW] (L) percentage of predicted after albuterol   89 ± 7		94 ± 7	0.03
* Occurred at least once in the last year; ** FEVi: forced expiratory volume in the first second of exhalation; *** FVC: forced vital capacity

Table 3 presents a comparison of overweight and lean children with regard to symptoms of asthma and the spirometry parameters. A positive response indicates that the symptom of asthma has occurred at least once in the last year. Baseline FEVi, FEVi/FVC and FEVi following administration of albuterol were each lower in children who were overweight compared with children who were not overweight. Three children with a physician diagnosis of asthma reported use of albuterol metered-dose inhaler (MDI) in the last week. None of these children met the criteria for asthma based on spirometry. Five children with a physician diagnosis of asthma reported use of albuterol MDI in the past month. Two of these children met the criteria for asthma on the basis of spirometry. However, overall, there was not a statistically significant association between use of albuterol MDI and a diagnosis of asthma by spirometry.