title: Asthma symptoms in rural living Tanzanian children; prevalence and the relation to aerobic fitness and body fat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of asthma symptoms in children from a rural district in North-Tanzania, and their relationship to aerobic fitness and body fat.
  
  
  METHODS
  In Manyara region in Tanzania, children (aged 9-10 years) were randomly selected to participate in the present cross-sectional study. Hundred and seventy two participants completed a video questionnaire showing the symptoms and signs of asthma. Lung function was measured by maximum forced expiratory flow-volume curves. Aerobic fitness was estimated from a standardized indirect maximal cycle ergometer test and sum of three skinfolds reflected body fat.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty four per cent reported asthma symptoms last year. Severe wheezing attacks last year were reported in 5% of the participants. Thirty seven per cent of the participants were underweight. Underweight children had significantly lower (P < 0.02) lung function (per cent of predicted). Lower body fat was associated with higher occurrence of asthma symptoms (odds ratio and 95% CI; 0.45 (0.22-0.95; P = 0.04). Aerobic fitness was not associated with asthma symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than every fifth 9-10 year old child from a rural district in North-Tanzania reported asthma symptoms. Lower body fat was associated with higher occurrence of asthma symptoms, but aerobic fitness was not associated with asthma symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, PO Box 4014 Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo NO-0806, Norway.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berntsen
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lødrup Carlsen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hageberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aandstad
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mowinckel
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Anderssen
authors.forename: K-H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Carlsen
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D013851:Thinness / Q000150:complications