Weight gain in the first two years of life, asthma and atopy: The SCAALA cohort study

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the association between weight gain in the first two years of life and the occurrence of wheezing, asthma, serum IgE, skin reactivity and pulmonary function. Design Cohort study. Setting The metropolitan region of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Subjects The association was studied between 1997 and 2005 in 669 children up to 11 years of age. Data were collected on asthma and risk factors, both current factors and those present in the first years of life. Weight gain was considered fast when the Z-score was >0·67. Poisson regression was used in the multivariate statistical analysis. Results Wheezing was reported in 25·6% of the children. Weight gain was considered fast (Z-score >0·67) in 29·6% of the children and slow (Z-score