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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Racial disparity in the association between body mass index and self-reported asthma in children: a population-based
Michael Joseph1, Michael Elliott2, Alan Zelicoff1
1a Department of Epidemiology , College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University , St. Louis, MO , USA and.
Insights
Obese children in the U.S. are 51% more likely to have asthma. This association between obesity and asthma in children varies significantly by race and ethnicity, highlighting disparities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health Research
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
- Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children.
- Understanding disparities in health conditions among children is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the racial disparities in the association between obesity and asthma in U.S. children and adolescents.
- To identify specific racial/ethnic groups at higher risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a nationally representative sample of 88,668 U.S. children (ages 10-17) from the National Survey of Children's Health (2007 and 2011/2012).
- Employed multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and self-reported asthma diagnosis.
- Stratified analyses were performed by child race/ethnicity, controlling for confounders like sex, age, socioeconomic status, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and neighborhood conditions.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of overweight was 15.2% and obesity was 14.1%; 16.7% of children had a self-reported asthma diagnosis.
- Obese children were 51% more likely to have asthma compared to normal-weight children, after adjusting for confounders.
- The association between obesity and asthma varied significantly across racial/ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic Black and Multi-racial children, males, those below the Federal Poverty Level, and those exposed to ETS or adverse neighborhood conditions had higher odds of asthma.
Conclusions:
- A significant racial disparity exists in the association between body mass index (BMI) and asthma among U.S. children.
- Findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions and prevention strategies for high-risk populations.
- Public health practitioners can use these insights to focus efforts on children and adolescents disproportionately affected by obesity-related asthma.
Objective:
To examine the racial disparity in the association between obesity and asthma in US children and adolescents.
Methods:
This study was based on a nationally representative, random-digit-dial sample of US households with children less than 18 years of age from the National Survey of Children's Health in 2011/2012 and 2007. The study sample included 88,668 children ages 10-17 with data on body mass index (BMI), parental reporting of asthma diagnosis, and potential confounders. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the crude and adjusted odds ratios stratified by child race/ethnicity.
Results:
The prevalence of overweight was 15.2% and obesity was 14.1%. Self-reported asthma diagnosis was 16.7% in our study sample. Obese children were 51% more likely to have asthma compared to normal weight children after controlling for child's sex, child age, socioeconomic status, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and neighborhood conditions. Our study also shows that the strength of this association varied by race/ethnicity after stratification. Being male, being non-Hispanic Black or Multi-racial, below the Federal Poverty Level, ETS and having detracting neighborhood elements were also significantly associated with higher odds of having a self-reported asthma diagnosis.
Conclusion:
We observed a racial difference in the association between BMI and asthma in US children. Our findings have significant public health implications and may help public health practitioners to target children and adolescents at higher risk of prevention and intervention efforts.
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