Nutrition, Obesity and Asthma Inception in Children. The Role of Lung Function
Sanchez-Solís Manuel1,2,3, García-Marcos Luis1,2,3
1Paediatric Allergy and Pulmonology Units, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Children's Hospital, University of Murcia, El Palmar, 30120 Murcia, Spain.
Insights
Childhood obesity and asthma are significant public health concerns. This review explores how obesity impacts children's respiratory health, including inflammation and airway development, and its link to asthma.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Obesity is a major global health issue, affecting millions of young children.
- Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in childhood.
- A significant overlap exists between childhood asthma and obesity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the epidemiology of asthma and obesity in children.
- To examine the respiratory consequences of obesity in pediatric populations.
- To investigate the role of adipokines and insulin resistance in childhood asthma and obesity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of epidemiological data on childhood asthma and obesity.
- Analysis of research on the physiological effects of obesity on the respiratory system.
- Examination of studies on the molecular mechanisms linking obesity, asthma, and metabolic factors.
Main Results:
- Obesity contributes to a low-grade T-helper 2 (TH2) inflammatory state, influencing respiratory health.
- Obese children exhibit specific respiratory changes, including "dysanapsis" (disproportionate airway scaling).
- Adipokines and insulin resistance are implicated in the onset and exacerbation of asthma in obese children.
Conclusions:
- The co-occurrence of asthma and obesity in children presents complex health challenges.
- Understanding the respiratory and metabolic impacts of obesity is crucial for managing childhood asthma.
- Further research into adipokines and insulin resistance may reveal novel therapeutic targets.
Abstract:
Obesity is an important public health problem. WHO estimates that about 39 million children younger than 5 years of age are overweighted or obese. On the other hand, asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease in childhood, and thus, many children share those two conditions. In the present paper we review the epidemiology of children with asthma and obesity, as well as the consequences of being obese on the respiratory system. On the one hand obesity produces an underlying T-helper 2 (TH2) low inflammation state in which numerous cytokines, which could have an impact in the respiratory system play, a role. On the other hand, some respiratory changes have been described in obese children and, specially, the development of the so called "dysanapsis" (the disproportionate scaling of airway dimensions to lung volume) which seems to be common during the first stages of life, probably related to the early development of this condition. Finally, this review deals with the role of adipokines and insulin resistance in the inception and worsening of asthma in the obese child.
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