[Study of prevalence and association between asthma symptoms and obesity in the pediatric population of pamplona].

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of asthma symptoms and overweight-obese in children aged 6-7 years and adolescents aged 13-14 years within the metropolitan area of Pamplona, and analyse the risk of asthma within the age groups and the influences if sex on this relationship.METHODS: The study is based on data of asthma symptoms and body mass index of 4,413 children and adolescents obtained from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies phase III questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression was used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for overweight-obesity and asthma symptoms in both groups, taking as reference the group of normal weight. Afterwards, it was stratified by sex.RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight-obesity in the group aged 6-7 years was 23.9% and in the group of teenagers was 11.5%. The prevalence of asthma symptoms in both age groups was lower than the Spanish average. The obese children aged 6-7 years had a higher risk of asthma symptoms. When it was stratified by sex, an increased risk in all asthma symptoms was observed only in obese girls. No relationship between obesity and asthma was observed n the adolescents group.CONCLUSIONS: Obesity in children is related to asthma symptoms. Obese girls have an increased risk and more severe asthma symptoms than boys.Abstract available from the publisher.