title: Waist circumference associated with pulmonary function in children.
abstract: In adults abdominal obesity is related to lung dysfunction and waist circumference (WC) predicts pulmonary function. It is not known how WC affects pulmonary function in children. A cross-sectional study of 718 children 6-17 years of age was conducted in a rural community to determine the predictability of WC for pulmonary function in children. Height, weight, WC, and pulmonary function were measured. Multivariate analysis was conducted. WC was positively associated with FVC and FEV(1) and was more strongly associated with FVC than with FEV(1). Increase in WC significantly predicted a reduction in FEV(1)/FVC. After adjustment for sex, age, and height, an increase of 1 cm for WC was associated with an increase of 7 ml of FVC and 4 ml of FEV(1), and with an increase of 4 ml of FVC and 2 ml of FEV(1) with an additional adjustment for weight. Height and weight were not significantly associated with FEV(1)/FVC. WC but not body mass index predicted a decline of FEV(1)/FVC. WC had a larger impact on FVC than FEV(1). WC, but not BMI, was negatively associated with FEV(1)/FVC in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. ychen@uottawa.ca
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rennie
authors.forename: Yvon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cormier
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dosman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012424:Rural Population; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055105:Waist Circumference