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. 2005 Jan;60(1):7–12. doi: 10.1136/thx.2002.001529

Obesity and asthma in 11–12 year old New Zealand children in 1989 and 2000

K Wickens 1, D Barry 1, A Friezema 1, R Rhodius 1, N Bone 1, G Purdie 1, J Crane 1
PMCID: PMC1747164  PMID: 15618575

Abstract

Background: There has been a concurrent increase in the prevalence of obesity and asthma in recent years in New Zealand and other countries.

Methods: Two cross sectional surveys performed in 1989 and 2000 were used to test this association in children of mean age 11.7 years. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight/height2 (kg/m2) and obesity and overweight defined according to an international standard. Standard questions were used to measure the prevalence of asthma symptoms.

Results: Significant increases in the prevalence of reported symptoms and disease between 1989 and 2000 were not explained by a concurrent increase in the prevalence of obesity. In 2000, multivariate analysis showed that increasing BMI standard deviation score was significantly associated with current wheeze (p = 0.002), inhaled steroid use (p = 0.004), and the use of any medication (p = 0.001). None of the associations was significantly different for boys or girls.

Conclusion: There is some evidence for an association of obesity with asthma symptoms and treatment but this does not explain the increasing prevalence of this disease.

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Selected References

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