Childhood asthma may encourage obesity, study suggests

A young child with asthma has a greater risk of obesity than one without the chronic respiratory condition, a new study suggests.
Among nearly 2,200 elementary school students in California, researchers found that childhood asthma was linked to a 51 percent increased risk of obesity over the next 10 years. 
"I was surprised it was that substantial," said study senior author Dr. Frank Gilliland. He is a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles.
However, kids who used "rescue" inhalers were less likely to become obese compared to those who did not treat flare-ups, the investigators found.
Prevalence of obesity and asthma has increased dramatically over the past several decades, and researchers suspect there's a biological connection between the two.
Previous research has shown obese children are at an increased risk of developing asthma. "This is the other way around -- kids with asthma have a substantial increase in the risk for developing obesity," Gilliland said. Asthma patients have inflamed, narrowed airways. They may experience chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath in response to infections, allergens, irritants in the air, physical activity and other triggers.
This study only found an association between asthma and obesity, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship. And it doesn't suggest that all kids with asthma will become obese.
Still, Gilliland theor ized about why this link might exist.  Children may play outdoors less often when their asthma symptoms flare up, he suggested.
Also, "sleep disturbances are common in asthma, and a large risk factor for obesity," Gilliland said. In addition, obesity and asthma could have common genetic underpinnings, he noted.
    HealthDay

Childhood asthma may encourage obesity, study suggests

A young child with asthma has a greater risk of obesity than one without the chronic respiratory condition, a new study suggests. Among nearly 2,200 elementary school students in California, researchers found that childhood asthma was linked to a 51 percent increased risk of obesity over the next 10 years. I was surprised it was that substantial, said study senior author Dr. Frank Gilliland. He is a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern Californias Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles. However, kids who used rescue inhalers were less likely to become obese compared to those who did not treat flare-ups, the investigators found. Prevalence of obesity and asthma has increased dramatically over the past several decades, and researchers suspect theres a biological connection between the two. Previous research has shown obese children are at an increased risk of developing asthma. This is the other way around -- kids with asthma have a substantial increase in the risk for developing obesity, Gilliland said. Asthma patients have inflamed, narrowed airways. They may experience chest tightness, coughing and shortness of breath in response to infections, allergens, irritants in the air, physical activity and other triggers. This study only found an association between asthma and obesity, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship. And it doesnt suggest that all kids with asthma will become obese. Still, Gilliland theor ized about why this link might exist. Children may play outdoors less often when their asthma symptoms flare up, he suggested. Also, sleep disturbances are common in asthma, and a large risk factor for obesity, Gilliland said. In addition, obesity and asthma could have common genetic underpinnings, he noted. HealthDay