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Relationship of body mass index with asthma indicators in head start children

Perla A Vargas1, Tamara T Perry, Elias Robles

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock 72202-3591, USA. vargasperlaa@uams.edu

Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology : Official Publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology
|July 27, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with asthma in Head Start programs who are overweight experience more severe symptoms and healthcare utilization. Increased body mass index (BMI) is linked to greater asthma morbidity in these young patients.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Asthma Research
  • Childhood Obesity Studies
  • Public Health Interventions

Background:

  • Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children.
  • Childhood obesity rates are rising, potentially impacting chronic conditions.
  • Head Start programs serve low-income children, a population often at higher risk for health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and asthma indicators in children enrolled in a Head Start program.
  • To compare BMI prevalence in Head Start children with asthma to national and local peer groups.
  • To determine if increased BMI correlates with asthma morbidity in preschool-aged children.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study comparing BMI data of 213 Head Start children with asthma to national (n=816) and local (n=1,024) peer groups.
  • Utilized parental reports for asthma symptoms, healthcare use, medication, missed school days, and quality of life as morbidity indicators.
  • Employed categorical analysis and chi-squared tests to assess the relationship between BMI and asthma morbidity.

Main Results:

  • Overweight prevalence was significantly higher in Head Start children with asthma compared to control groups.
  • Children with higher BMI (≥85th percentile) reported more missed school days, hospitalizations, emergency visits, and activity limitations.
  • A trend towards more daytime symptoms and lower quality of life was observed in children with higher BMI.

Conclusions:

  • Increased body mass index (BMI) is significantly associated with greater asthma morbidity in Head Start children.
  • Elevated BMI negatively impacts the well-being of young asthmatic patients.
  • Further research and interventions addressing the link between BMI and asthma in this population are warranted.
Abstract

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