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Association between obesity and asthma in preschool Mexican children

Francisco Vàzquez-Nava1, Jaime Morales Romero, José A Crodova Fernandez

  • 1Department of Research in Clinical Epidemiology, No. 6 General Hospital of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, Tampico-Madero City, Mexico. fvazqueznava@gmail.com

Thescientificworldjournal
|July 13, 2010
PubMed

Insights

This study found no link between childhood obesity and asthma in Mexican preschoolers. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between pediatric obesity and asthma development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Childhood obesity and asthma are prevalent in preschool-aged children.
  • A potential causal link between childhood obesity and asthma development is debated.
  • Previous research on this association has yielded inconclusive results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between overweight and obesity and the prevalence of asthma symptoms in preschool children.
  • To examine the relationship between pediatric obesity and asthma-related hospitalizations.
  • To contribute data to the ongoing debate regarding obesity as a causal factor in childhood asthma.

Main Methods:

  • A study was conducted on 1,160 preschool children in Mexico.
  • Asthma diagnosis was based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire.
  • Children were classified by Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles: normal weight, overweight, and obesity.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant association was found between overweight or obesity and wheezing in the past year.
  • Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for relevant factors, showed no link between obesity and wheezing.
  • Overweight and obesity were not associated with asthma-related hospitalizations in the study population.

Conclusions:

  • The study did not find evidence to support an association between overweight, obesity, and asthma in preschool children.
  • Current findings suggest that obesity may not be a direct causal factor for asthma in this age group.
  • Longitudinal studies are recommended to further elucidate the complex relationship between pediatric obesity and asthma.

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