title: The relationship between asthma and overweight in urban minority children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was performed to determine the relationship between overweight [body mass index (BMI) > or = 85th percentile] and asthma as determined by spirometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spirometry was performed according to the American Thoracic Society guidelines, and BMI was calculated. Asthma was defined as a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) <80% predicted and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) >5% lower than predicted for age and sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-hundred-nine children (age 14.7 +/- 1.6 years) were enrolled. Eighty children (73%) were African-American, and 29 children (27%) were white. Fifty-eight (53%) children were overweight. Twelve (11%) children, of whom nine (75%) were overweight, met the criteria for asthma. Baseline FEV1 percent predicted (87 +/- 6% vs. 83 +/- 7%, p=0.03), FEV1/FVC (93 +/- 6 vs. 87 +/- 8, p<0.001), and FEV1 percent predicted following albuterol administration (94 +/- 7 vs. 89 +/- 7%, p=0.03) were all lower in overweight children. Children with asthma were almost 1.5 times more likely to be overweight compared with children without asthma (relative risk: 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.015-2.17).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inner-city children are more likely to be overweight compared to the general population. Asthma is a risk factor for overweight in these children.
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, Pediatric Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, Flint, MI, USA. rhasan1@hurleymc.com
authors.forename: Rashed A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.forename: George Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Zureikat
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Jenny L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: LaChance
authors.forename: Julie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Campe
authors.forename: Raouf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008913:Minority Groups; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology*; D012574:Schools; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*