Abstract
Aims
To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) values in children between the ages of 6 and 14 years.
Methods
Data were collected from 1,439 children during public health screening. Each child was classified on the basis of age- and sex-specific BMI percentile as non-obese or obese (BMI ≥95th percentile). PEF and BMI were compared among age-sex-BMI percentile groups.
Results
PEF values were lower in obese children than in non-obese children. There were also significant differences between girls and boys.
Conclusions
The association of higher BMI with lower PEF may indicate that obesity is an important risk factor for reduced airflow or lung function in children. These findings emphasise the importance of the prevention of obesity in children and adolescents in order to avoid possible future respiratory problems.
Keywords: peak expiratory flow, body mass index, lung function, children, obesity
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Footnotes
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this article.