The effect of obesity and smoking status on lung age in Japanese men.
OBJECTIVE
The lung age of smokers is greater than their real age. We have had the clinical impression that the lung age of non-smokers might be older than their real age and that obese subjects with decreased VC and FEV1 would also have an increased lung age. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationships between lung age and smoking status, and lung age and BMI.


METHODS
Subjects comprised 3247 men who consulted our institute for health screening; 819 subjects were non-smokers. In smokers and non-smokers, lung age estimated by the predictive equation based on height and FEV1 was compared with chronological age. To investigate the relationship between lung age and BMI in non-smokers, subjects were categorized into four groups based on quartiles of BMI and the lung age of the four groups compared. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the relative contribution of BMI and smoking status to lung age.


RESULTS
The predictive equation used to estimate lung age significantly overestimated the chronological age of study subjects. In non-smokers, higher BMI was significantly associated with higher lung age. BMI, duration of smoking and number of cigarettes per day were significantly associated with increased lung age.


CONCLUSIONS
Lung age could be used to motivate lifestyle change in obese individuals.
Mitsumune
Tadahiko
T
Junpukai Health Maintenance Center, 2-3-1 Daiku, Okayama 700-0913, Japan. JBH01210@nifty.com
Senoh
Etsuo
E
Nishikawa
Hitoshi
H
Adachi
Michifumi
M
Kajii
Eiji
E
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*