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Lung function and overweight in school aged children after early childhood wheezing

Virpi Sidoroff1, Mari Hyvärinen, Eija Piippo-Savolainen

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. vpietika@hytti.uku.fi.

Pediatric Pulmonology
|January 4, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Children with early wheezing who are overweight or obese may experience reduced lung function later in childhood. Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for these children to protect their respiratory health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Obesity Research
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Childhood wheezing is increasingly linked to asthma and diminished lung function.
  • Previous research primarily used cross-sectional designs, limiting understanding of long-term effects.
  • The impact of overweight and obesity on lung function following early childhood wheezing requires further longitudinal investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between overweight/obesity and lung function in school-aged children.
  • To assess these associations longitudinally after early childhood wheezing.
  • To determine if preceding or current weight status influences lung function at early and late school ages.

Main Methods:

  • A follow-up study included 100 children hospitalized for wheezing before age 2.
  • Lung function was measured using spirometry at ages 7.2 and 12.3 years.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) defined overweight (>1.3 SD) and obesity (>2.0 SD).

Main Results:

  • Overweight at ages 7.2 and 12.3 was linked to reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC).
  • Overweight and obesity at age 7.2 were associated with lower FEV1/FVC and maximal expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (MEF50) at age 12.3.
  • Findings remained consistent across different analysis methods and after adjusting for viral infections and asthma medication.

Conclusions:

  • Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for impaired lung function in school-aged children post-wheezing.
  • Children with early wheezing should be monitored for weight gain.
  • Preventing excessive weight gain in childhood is recommended to preserve lung function.
Abstract

Keywords:
childlung functionobesityobstructionoverweightspirometrywheezing

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