Table 5 Asthma and hay fever according to BMI in tertiles, and adjusted associations of BMI with asthma and hay fever.
| Lower tertile | Medium tertile | Upper tertile | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMI <22.76 | 22.76<BMI<25.71 | BMI >25.71 | ||
| (n = 716) | (n = 736) | (n = 709) | OR (95% CI)* | |
| (%) | (%) | (%) | (per kg/m2) | |
| Asthma† | 6.9 | 5.8 | 11 | 1.08 (1.05 to 1.12) |
| Wheeze‡ | 17.4 | 16.2 | 26.1 | 1.09 (1.06 to 1.12) |
| Three or more symptoms§ | 11.5 | 11.9 | 20.7 | 1.10 (1.07 to 1.13) |
| Night symptoms** | 10.9 | 12.8 | 17.1 | 1.06 (1.03 to 1.09) |
| Hay fever†† | 22.8 | 23.7 | 25.5 | 1.02 (0.99 to 1.04) |
| Allergic asthma‡‡ | 4.1 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 1.04 (1.00 to 1.10) |
*From logistic regression models with adjustment for smoking habits, BMI, age, centre and social class
†Asthma medication and/or asthma attacks last 12 months.
‡Wheeze in the last 12 months
§Symptoms included: wheeze, wheeze with shortness of breath, wheeze without cold, waking with tightness in chest, waking with shortness of breath, waking with cough, asthma attacks, current asthma medication
**Waking with tightness in chest or waking with shortness of breath
††Hay fever or nasal allergies.
‡‡Asthma and hay fever.