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Physical activity and asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Marianne Eijkemans1, Monique Mommers, Jos M Th Draaisma
1Department of Pediatrics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. m.eijkemans@cukz.umcn.nl
Plos One
|January 4, 2013
Summary
Regular physical activity may help prevent asthma development. Higher activity levels were associated with a lower incidence of asthma in longitudinal studies, suggesting a protective effect.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition affecting millions worldwide.
- The role of physical activity in asthma development requires further clarification.
- Understanding modifiable factors like physical activity is crucial for prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and synthesize existing evidence on the association between physical activity and asthma.
- To examine the impact of physical activity on asthma incidence across different age groups.
- To assess the quality of studies investigating physical activity and asthma.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of PubMed and EMBASE databases up to June 2011.
- Inclusion of original case-control, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies assessing physical activity and asthma.
- Exclusion of studies on physical fitness, athletes, and therapeutic interventions; quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).
Main Results:
- 39 studies met inclusion criteria: 5 longitudinal and 34 cross-sectional.
- Longitudinal studies (n=85,117) indicated higher physical activity was linked to lower asthma incidence (OR 0.88).
- High-quality prospective studies (NOS≥5) showed a similar protective effect (OR 0.87).
Conclusions:
- Physical activity appears to be a potential protective factor against asthma development.
- Heterogeneity in studies suggests potential effects may be masked by age, sex, or activity level extremes.
- Future longitudinal research should investigate these nuances for targeted prevention.
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