Gain in lung function after weight reduction in severely obese children.
OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of this prospective cohort study was to determine the effect of weight loss on pulmonary function values in extremely obese children.


METHODS
Obese children participated in a 26-week in-hospital or outpatient multidisciplinary treatment programme. Waist circumference was measured and pulmonary function tests were performed at enrolment and after 6 months.


RESULTS
The data of 112 children were analysed. The children had a mean age of 14.4 (range 8.5-18.9) years and 62.5% were girls. The mean SD score-body mass index (SDS-BMI) was +3.38 at baseline and +2.91 after the intervention. Lung function improved significantly: functional vital capacity increased by 3.08% (95% CI 1.16% to 5.00%) of the predicted value, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) by 2.91% (95% CI 1.11% to 4.71%) of the predicted value, total lung capacity by 2.27% (95% CI 1.16% to 5.00%) of the predicted value, and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) by 14.8% (95% CI 8.66% to 20.88%) of the predicted value. The increase in ERV correlated with the reduction in SDS-BMI and with the reduction in waist circumference. FEV(1) did not correlate with the reduction in either SDS-BMI or waist circumference.


CONCLUSIONS
Weight loss in severely obese children correlated with an improvement in lung function, especially ERV. The improvement in ERV correlated with the decrease in SDS-BMI and waist circumference.
Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Emma Children's Hospital, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. e.j.vandegriendt@amc.nl
E J
EJ
van de Griendt
O H
OH
van der Baan-Slootweg
E E M
EE
van Essen-Zandvliet
J
J
van der Palen
C L J
CL
Tamminga-Smeulders
M A
MA
Benninga
W M C
WM
van Aalderen
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*