title: Prevalence and risk factors of asthma and wheeze in school-going children in Lucknow, North India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of asthma and wheeze and factors associated with it in children aged 6-7 and 13-14 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  School based, prospective survey using self/parental reporting of occurrence of asthma or wheeze on pre-designed questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 112 schools, 17 and 15 schools were randomly selected for recruitment of subjects in age group 6-7 and 13-14 years, respectively. Prevalence of asthma and wheeze reported were 2.3% and 6.2%, respectively, in age group 6-7 years and 3.3% and 7.8%, respectively, in age group 13-14 years. On the basis of adjusted odds ratio, risk factors for wheeze or asthma were tertiary education of mother, antibiotic use in the first year of life, eating pasta or fast-food or meat once or more per week and exercise once or more/week while the protective factors were intake of vegetables once or more and fruits thrice or more per week. In univariate analysis, breastfeeding was also found to be protective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Promotion of rational use of antibiotic in first year of life, avoidance of fast food and promotion of breastfeeding and intake of fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of asthma/wheeze and should be encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, K.G. Medical Uiversity, Lucknow, U.P, India. sawasthi@sancharnet.in
authors.forename: Shally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awasthi
authors.forename: Ekta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalra
authors.forename: Siddhartha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Saumya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awasthi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012307:Risk Factors