Background: Obesity and asthma often coexist. We hypothesized that detailed body fat distribution measures might be more strongly associated than body mass index (BMI) with childhood asthma.
Objective: We examined the associations of total body and abdominal fat measures with respiratory resistance (Rint), fractional exhaled nitric oxide (Feno), and risks of wheezing and asthma in school-aged children.
Methods: In a population-based prospective cohort study among 6178 children aged 6 years, we measured BMI, fat mass index, android/gynoid ratio, and preperitoneal and subcutaneous fat mass by physical examinations, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and ultrasound, respectively. We performed Rint and Feno measurements, and assessed physician-diagnosed wheezing and asthma by questionnaires.
Results: A higher BMI was associated with a higher Rint (Z score [95% CI], 0.06 [0.01-0.12]) and increased risk of wheezing (odds ratio [95% CI], 1.07 [1.00-1.14], per Z score BMI increase), but not with Feno or asthma. A high fat mass index was associated with a higher Rint (Z score [95% CI], 0.40 [0.13-0.68]). A high android/gynoid fat mass ratio was associated with a lower Feno (Sym% [95% CI], -9.8 [-16.3 to -3.4]), whereas a high preperitoneal fat mass was associated with a higher Feno (Sym% [95% CI], 6.5 [0.1-12.9]). Subcutaneous fat mass was not associated with any respiratory outcome.
Conclusions: Studying detailed body fat distribution measures might provide better insight into the obesity-asthma paradigm.
Keywords: Obesity; Rint; asthma; body composition; body fat mass distribution; fractional exhaled nitric oxide (Feno); wheezing.
Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.