Asia Pac Allergy.  2013 Jan;3(1):42-49. 10.5415/apallergy.2013.3.1.42.

Asthma in Mexican school-age children is not associated with passive smoking or obesity

• Bedolla-Barajas M
• Barrera-Zepeda AT
• López-Zaldo JB
• Morales-Romero J

• KMID: 2397334
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5415/apallergy.2013.3.1.42

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Asthma has increased in various regions of the world. The factors associated with the growth in prevalence are still to be determined.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the degree of association of the prevalence of asthma with passive smoking and obesity in school-children in western Mexico.
METHODS
A population-based cross-section analytic study. A stratified random sample of 740 primary school pupils of between 6 and 12 years of age was chosen. Asthma, passive smoking and a background of allergic diseases were identified by means of a standardized questionnaire filled out by the parents of the participants. Obesity was identified by means of the body mass index. Proportional sections of population were estimated and the degree of association between asthma (dependent variable) and the independent variables was evaluated by means of multivariate logistic regression.
RESULTS
The following factors of prevalence were found: asthma 8.1%; obesity 19.9%; background of smoking in the father 6.7% and in the mother 13.3%. There was no significant association to be found with asthma in either passive smoking where one of the parents smoked (p = 0.39) or in obesity (p = 0.09). On the other hand, the background of allergic diseases in the mother showed statistically significant association with asthma in the boys (odds ratio = 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 8.59), but not in the girls.
CONCLUSION
With the exception of the maternal background of allergy, neither obesity nor passive smoking are factors associated with asthma in Mexican children.

Keyword

Obesity; Asthma; Prevalence; Smoking; Epidemiology

MeSH Terms

Asthma*
Body Mass Index
Child*
Epidemiology
Fathers
Female
Hand
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Logistic Models
Mexico
Mothers
Obesity*
Parents
Prevalence
Pupil
Smoke
Smoking
Tobacco Smoke Pollution*
Smoke
Tobacco Smoke Pollution

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