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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Body mass index in young children and allergic disease: gender differences in a longitudinal study
C S Murray1, D Canoy, I Buchan
1Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, NIHR Translational Research Facility in Respiratory Medicine, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. clare.murray@manchester.ac.uk
Insights
Childhood obesity increases the risk of allergic diseases like wheezing and eczema. This association varies by gender and age, highlighting the importance of weight management in preventing pediatric allergies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Obesity Research
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Rising rates of allergic diseases parallel the global obesity epidemic.
- A potential link between body mass index (BMI) and allergic conditions warrants investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) up to age 8 years and the development of allergic diseases.
- To explore potential gender-specific differences in this relationship.
Main Methods:
- A birth cohort of 731 children was followed from birth.
- Data collected at ages 3, 5, and 8 years included parental questionnaires, physical measurements, and skin prick testing.
Main Results:
- Increased BMI at ages 3, 5, and 8 correlated with higher odds of wheezing.
- Higher BMI was linked to physician-diagnosed eczema at ages 5 and 8.
- Being overweight at age 3 predicted late-onset and persistent wheeze and eczema.
- No association was found between BMI and allergic sensitization.
Conclusions:
- Childhood overweight status is significantly associated with an increased risk of allergic diseases.
- The strength of this association is influenced by child's gender, age, and specific allergic phenotype.
Background:
The increase in allergic diseases has occurred in parallel with the obesity epidemic, suggesting a possible association.
Objective:
We investigated the relationship of body mass index (BMI) up to age 8 years with allergic disease within a birth cohort.
Methods:
Children were followed from birth and were reviewed at age 3, 5 and 8 years (n=731; male 406). Parents completed questionnaires; children were weighed, measured, skin prick tested and examined.
Results:
Increasing BMI at 3, 5 and 8 years increased the risk of current wheezing at the corresponding age (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] per standardized deviation score: age 3, 1.26 [1.04-1.53], P=0.02; age 5, 1.33 [1.06-1.67], P=0.02; age 8, 1.27 [1.0-1.62], P=0.05). The effect of BMI on wheeze at age 8 years differed between boys and girls, with a significant positive association in girls, but not in boys (P=0.04 for interaction). The effect of BMI at earlier ages on current or subsequent wheezing did not differ significantly between genders. Increasing BMI significantly increased the risk of physician-diagnosed eczema at age 5 (1.23 [1.04-1.47], P=0.02) and 8 (1.23 [1.03-1.45], P=0.02), with a significant interaction between gender and BMI at age 5 (P=0.04). There was no association between BMI and sensitization. Being overweight at age 3 years was significantly associated with late-onset wheeze (3.83 [1.51-9.75], P=0.005), persistent wheeze (4.15 [2.07-8.32], P<0.001) and persistent eczema (1.79 [1.03-3.13], P=0.04) in both boys and girls.
Conclusions:
Being overweight is associated with an increased risk of allergic disease in childhood. However, the strength of the association varies with the gender, age and atopic phenotype.
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