Asthma risk increases due to obesity

US researchers: Asthma risk increases due to overweight

28.03.2011

Obesity significantly increases the risk of asthma in children and adolescents. The risk of asthma is three times higher than normal weight, researchers at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA.

Especially in boys, obesity significantly increased the risk of asthma, but girls also suffered disproportionately from chronic respiratory disease, the US scientists report. The researchers at the Henry Ford Clinic had in a comprehensive study, the body mass index (BMI) of children aged between six and eight years recorded and then in a re-examination at the age of 18 to 20 years, the respiratory disease of the study participants controlled.

Obesity triples the risk of asthma
The US scientists found that the overweight children suffered disproportionately as a teenager in asthma diseases. For example, eleven percent of overweight boys between the ages of 18 and 20 had asthma, whereas on average only 3 percent of normal people were suffering from asthma or other respiratory problems. For girls, the proportion of asthma cases was 20 percent compared to 10 percent for normal weight. According to the US researchers, it was irrelevant whether the children had atopy on the first school-age examination, ie an elevated serum IgE level for allergens such as house dust mites, cats, or pollen. As an explanation for the significantly increased asthma risk of obese children, the US scientists referred to the annual meeting of the „American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology“ in San Francisco on the influence of inflammatory mediators that are produced by the fatty tissue. However, the experts at the Henry Ford Clinic have not yet been able to conclusively clarify how the relationship relates.

Asthma therapies in natural medicine
The link between asthma and obesity confirms a large number of studies that have found a possible interdependence between obesity and allergic diseases in the past. On the basis of this knowledge, the medical treatment of asthma should include, if necessary, a change of diet and a significant weight reduction. In natural remedies, phytotherapies such as the self-blood therapy or the herbal treatment with Petasites and Ephedra sinica have already achieved promising results. Also homeopathic treatment approaches with the North American lobelia, Aralia racemosa or Yerba santa (Santakraut) have been proven. In addition, the so-called climatotherapy with stay in a climatic health resort can contribute to the recovery of the bronchial mucous membranes and the healing chronic inflammatory process, which can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks in the long term. A healthy diet and the avoidance of obesity should, however, be taken into account in any case in view of the available research results in order to minimize the risk of asthma. (Fp)

Also read:
Country life protects children from asthma
Therapy options for bronchial asthma

Picture: Sigrid Rossmann