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Pediatric obesity and its effects on asthma control

Jeannie K Giese1

  • 1The Allergy & Asthma Center, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners
|October 31, 2013
PubMed

Insights

This study found no significant difference in asthma control metrics between normal weight, overweight, and obese children. However, overweight children showed a higher mean FEV1% (forced expiratory volume in 1 second), indicating better lung function in this specific measure.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Obesity Research
  • Asthma Management

Background:

  • Persistent asthma affects many children, with weight being a potential influencing factor.
  • Clinical observations suggest obese children may report more asthma symptoms.
  • Objective measures of asthma control in relation to weight are crucial for understanding disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between overweight/obesity and asthma control in pediatric patients (ages 7-18).
  • To compare asthma control parameters across normal weight, overweight, and obese children with persistent asthma.
  • To determine if weight status impacts objective measures of lung function and medication use.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of patient charts from an asthma specialty practice.
  • Inclusion criteria: pediatric patients (7-18 years) with persistent asthma.
  • Comparison of four variables: controller medications, systemic corticosteroids, FEV1% predicted, and FEV1/FVC% predicted across weight groups.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant differences were observed in controller medication use, systemic corticosteroid prescriptions, or FEV1/FVC% between weight groups.
  • A statistically significant difference was found in FEV1% predicted (p = .004).
  • Overweight children exhibited the highest mean FEV1% (92.47 ± 16.74%), with significant differences noted between normal weight and overweight, and overweight and obese groups.

Conclusions:

  • Objective asthma control, as measured by lung function and medication burden, did not show a statistically significant decline in overweight or obese pediatric asthma patients compared to normal weight peers.
  • Despite subjective reports of increased symptoms in obese children, objective data in this study did not support a link to poorer asthma control.
  • Further research may be warranted to explore the discrepancy between subjective symptom reporting and objective lung function measures in pediatric asthma and obesity.
Abstract

Keywords:
Asthmaobesitypediatricpulmonary function

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