Comparison of Obesity between Children with Asthma and Healthy Children

Kang, Hee; Kang, Eun Kyeong; Nah, Kyu Min; Yoo, Young; Koh, Young Yull

Abstract

PURPOSE
An increase in the prevalence of obesity and asthma over recent decades has been reported. While there is evidence of a positive association between asthma and obesity, there is no report about association between asthma and obesity in Korea. The aim of this study was to determine if obesity is more prevalent in children with asthma compared with healthy children and to determine if obesity is associated with atopy in children with asthma. METHODS: We studied 291 atopic asthmatic children, 85 nonatopic asthmatic children and 149 healthy children. BMI (kg/m2) and obesity index were calculated using height and weight which were measured on the same day of methacholine challenge test. Obesity was defined as percentile of BMI over 95 percentile. BMI, obesity index and prevalence of obesity were compared among the three groups. Association between obesity and PC20 was also assessed in asthmatics. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity was similar for atopic asthmatic group (11.6%), nonatopic asthmatic group (11.7%) and healthy group (12.7%). The prevalence of being at risk of overweight was similar for atopic asthmatic group (18.2%), nonatopic asthmatic group (24.7%) and healthy group (18.1%). There was no difference in BMI and obesity index among the three groups. In asthmatics, obesity index was not correlated with PC20 and there was no difference in obesity index among the asthmatics classified by PC20; < 2 mg/mL, 2-8 mg/mL, 8-18 mg/mL. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that obesity is not associated with asthma. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in general population, and a prospective study is needed to follow younger children through adolescence.