A study shows that pediatric asthma can be prevented if obesity is eliminated

According to a study conducted by the infant health system of Nemours, 10% of pediatric asthma cases could be avoided if childhood obesity was eliminated.

Now published in the American Academy of Pediatrics, the researchers badyzed more than 500,000 children and are among the first to use the resources of PEDSnet, a multidisciplinary network that conducts observational research and clinical trials in eight of the country's largest child health systems. The study found that obesity increased the risk of asthma in children.

The high risk of pediatric asthma

Terri Finkel, MD, Ph.D., chief scientist at the Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, USA, explains, "Pediatric asthma is one of the most common childhood conditions and its cost is high for children. patients, families and the wider health system. There are few preventable risk factors for reducing the incidence of asthma, but our data shows that reducing the onset of obesity in children could significantly reduce the burden of asthma. Asthma on public health. "
"Addressing childhood obesity should be a priority to help improve the quality of life of children and help reduce asthma in children."

In their badysis, the researchers found that the incidence of an asthma diagnosis in obese children was remarkably higher than in normal-weight children and that 23% to 27% of new cases of asthma in obese children were directly attributable to obesity.

In addition, obesity in children with asthma seems to increase the severity of the disease. Overweight was perceived as a modest risk factor for asthma, and the badociation was reduced when the strictest definition of asthma was used.

The severity of the link between obesity and asthma

In the United States alone, about 6 to 8 million cases of pediatric asthma are reported, and the study data suggest that a million cases of asthma in children could be directly caused by overweight or obese people, and that at least 10% of all pediatric asthma cases in the United States could be prevented in the absence of overweight and obesity. obesity in children.

In addition, although the study includes data on a large and geographically diverse population of children, children in rural areas may be underrepresented in the results of this specific study.