title: Effect of lifestyle on asthma control in Japanese patients: importance of periodical exercise and raw vegetable diet.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The avoidance of inhaled allergens or tobacco smoke has been known to have favorable effects on asthma control. However, it remains unclear whether other lifestyle-related factors are also related to asthma control. Therefore, a comprehensive study to examine the associations between various lifestyle factors and asthma control was conducted in Japanese asthmatic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study subjects included 437 stable asthmatic patients recruited from our outpatient clinic over a one-year period. A written, informed consent was obtained from each participant. Asthma control was assessed using the asthma control test (ACT), and a structured questionnaire was administered to obtain information regarding lifestyle factors, including tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, physical exercise, and diet. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportions of total control (ACT = 25), well controlled (ACT = 20-24), and poorly controlled (ACT < 20) were 27.5%, 48.1%, and 24.5%, respectively. The proportions of patients in the asthma treatment steps as measured by Global Initiative for Asthma 2007 in step 1, step 2, step 3, step 4, and step 5 were 5.5%, 17.4%, 7.6%, 60.2%, and 9.4%, respectively. Body mass index, direct tobacco smoking status and alcohol drinking were not associated with asthma control. On the other hand, younger age (< 65 years old), passive smoking, periodical exercise (> 3 metabolic equivalents-h/week), and raw vegetable intake (> 5 units/week) were significantly associated with good asthma control by bivariate analysis. Younger age, periodical exercise, and raw vegetable intake were significantly associated with good asthma control by multiple linear regression analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periodical exercise and raw vegetable intake are associated with good asthma control in Japanese patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. iikura-tky@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Motoyasu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iikura
authors.forename: Siyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ichimura
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Shinyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Haruhito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizoue
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015897:Comorbidity; D014676:Diet, Vegetarian; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012307:Risk Factors