Overweight and changes in weight status during childhood in relation to asthma symptoms at 8 years of age

Early growth characteristics and the risk of reduced lung function and asthma: A meta-analysis of 25,000 children

“…(46). Greater infant weight gain was also associated with a lower FEF75, 283 which is in line with previous studies reporting associations of body mass index or adiposity 284 with reduced expiratory flows and asthma (47,48). A suggested mechanism is leptin release 285 from adipose tissue, which might have pro-inflammatory effects in the airways (49), or a 286 direct effect of increased body weight on lung function (50).…”

“…An accumulating body of evidence suggests that these children also have an 46 increased risk of chronic obstructive respiratory diseases in adulthood (2). More recent, 47 prospective studies in children suggest that preterm birth and small size for gestational age 48 at birth increase the risk of childhood asthma (3). Recent results of a meta-analysis of 49 individual participant data of 147,000 children participating in prospective birth cohort studies 50…”

Asthma and obesity in childhood: on the road ahead

“…75 The failure to show significant relationships between BMI and wheeze, BMI and inhaled corticosteroid prescription and BMI and rest dyspnoea might support the hypothesis that the dyspnoea was primarily caused by factors other than asthma. 74,75 Another long-term post-bronchiolitis follow-up study did not find any increased risk for AHR, as evaluated by exercise challenge, in overweight children. 76 Furthermore, two previous studies did not observe increased prevalence of AHR among children with a high BMI.…”

“…73 The researchers stated that increased BMI is not associated with clinically significant worsening of impairment in subjects with persistent asthma. 73 Regarding AHR in a recent birth cohort study, Scholtens et al 74 analysed reported weight and height, reported wheeze and dyspnoea and evaluated AHR at age 8 years by methacholine challenge. They found a significant increased risk for dyspnoea but not for wheezing in children who were overweight at age 6 to 7 years.…”

“…They concluded that children with a current high BMI are at increased risk to have dyspnoea and AHR at age 8 years. 74 However, in the editorial accompanying the study, it was emphasized again that dyspnoea in overweight children may not always be asthma. 75 The failure to show significant relationships between BMI and wheeze, BMI and inhaled corticosteroid prescription and BMI and rest dyspnoea might support the hypothesis that the dyspnoea was primarily caused by factors other than asthma.…”