Pediatr Allergy Respir Dis.  2001 Sep;11(3):240-248.

Effects of Obesity on Pulmonary Functions According to Fat Distribution

• Park SW
• Lee HR

Abstract

PURPOSE
Obesity is one of the most frequent markers of health risk and the incidence of obesity has increased in Korea recently. Obesity leads to higher risks of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance. It also leads to risks of respiratory complications. This study was done to view the different effects of obesity on pulmonary functions according to body fat distribution before and after exercise.
METHODS
257 obese children enrolled in this study. All subjects were divided 2 groups, upper body obesity and lower body obesity group according to waist to hip ratio, trunk obesity and extremity obesity group according to centrality index. Pre-and post-exercise loading FEV1, FVC and PEFR were checked in all subjects and the changes of values in each groups were observed.
RESULTS
1) There were 68, 189, 136 and 121 children in upper body obesity group, lower body obesity group, trunk obesity group and extremity group respectively. 2) The % predicted value of FEV1, FVC and PEFR in upper body obesity group were lower than those in lower body obesity group before exercise loading. And the reduction of % predicted values of each parameters was more prominent in upper body obesity group than in lower body obesity group after exercise loading. 3) There was no difference of pulmonary function between trunk and extremity obesity group before exercise, but the reduction of % predicted values of each parameters was more prominent in trunk obesity group than in extremity obesity group after exercise loading.
CONCLUSION
The exercise induced bronchospasm is more prominent in upper body and trunk obesity group than in lower body and extremity obesity group. Therefore the fat distribution of obese children must be considered in diagnosis and control of obesity.

Keyword

Obesity; Body fat distribution; Pulmonary function

MeSH Terms

Asthma, Exercise-Induced
Body Fat Distribution
Child
Diagnosis
Extremities
Humans
Hyperlipidemias
Hypertension
Incidence
Insulin Resistance
Korea
Obesity*
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate
Waist-Hip Ratio