Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026
Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
Published on: August 7, 2017
Asthma, allergy, and obesity: Examining the relationship among Nevada children
Jennifer A Lucas1, Sheniz Moonie1, Kimberly Olsen-Wilson2
1a School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nevada , Las Vegas, Las Vegas , Nevada , USA.
Insights
Pediatric asthma patients who are overweight or obese show lower odds of allergen sensitization and polysensitization. Elevated body mass index (BMI) did not predict asthma severity in this study.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Environmental Health
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Atopic asthma is common in children, but the relationship between obesity and atopy in pediatric asthma remains unclear.
- Nevada has high rates of childhood obesity and aeroallergen sensitization, both risk factors for asthma.
- Understanding the interplay between body mass index (BMI), allergen sensitization, and asthma severity in children is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between elevated BMI and asthma severity in pediatric patients.
- To determine if higher BMI correlates with allergen sensitization and polysensitization in children with asthma.
- To explore the prevalence of atopy and polysensitization across different weight categories in pediatric asthma.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records from 125 pediatric allergy patients (ages 1-16).
- Data collected included BMI percentile, asthma severity, skin prick test results for allergen sensitization, and sociodemographic information.
- Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and logistic regression to assess associations.
Main Results:
- The study population (N=125) was 61% male, 65% white, with 29% classified as overweight/obese.
- Nearly 85% of children were atopic and 82% were polysensitized, irrespective of weight category.
- No significant association was found between asthma severity and elevated BMI. Overweight/obese children had significantly lower odds of allergen sensitization (aOR 0.26) and polysensitization (aOR 0.30) compared to healthy weight children.
Conclusions:
- Overweight and obese children with asthma exhibited lower odds of allergen sensitization and polysensitization compared to normal-weight asthmatic children.
- Elevated BMI was not found to be a significant predictor of asthma severity in this pediatric cohort.
- Findings suggest a complex relationship between weight status, atopy, and asthma in children, warranting further investigation.
Objective:
The majority of pediatric asthma is atopic, but whether pediatric obese asthma is atopic is indeterminate in the literature. In Nevada, children become sensitized to aeroallergens, a risk factor for asthma, at young ages. Additionally, Nevada children have high rates of obesity. Our objective is to determine whether elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with asthma severity, allergen sensitization, and polysensitization.
Methods:
Medical records from a pediatric allergy clinic provided BMI percentile, physician-diagnosed asthma severity, skin prick test data, and sociodemographics such as age, race, sex, and insurance status from asthmatic patients. Descriptive statistics and binary and multinomial logistic regression were conducted.
Results:
In this population (N = 125) aged 1-16, 61% were male, 65% were white, and 74% had private health insurance. Sixty-five percent of children were under/healthy weight and 29% were overweight/obese. Asthma symptoms were moderate in 66% of the population, and severe in 18%. Nearly 85% of this population was atopic, and 82% were polysensitized. Sensitization and polysensitization occurred in all weight categories. Asthma severity and elevated BMI were not associated significantly. Overweight/obese children (≥85th percentile) had lower odds of allergen sensitization (adjusted odds ratio 0.26, 95% CI = 0.85-0.78, p = 0.016) and polysensitization (adjusted odds ratio 0.30, 95% CI = 0.11-0.85, p = 0.023) than healthy weight children (<85th percentile).
Conclusion:
Although overweight children did show allergen sensitization, those who were overweight had lower odds of allergen sensitization and lower odds of polysensitization, as compared to normal weight asthmatic children. Elevated BMI was not a significant predictor of asthma severity.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction
01:24Asthma-III: Symptoms and Complications
Classification of Asthma
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include:
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:30Asthma-IV: Nursing Management
First, in...