title: The effect of obesity degree on childhood pulmonary function tests.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childhood obesity has become a global epidemic. It is related to several chronic diseases such as essential hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and renal disease. The relationship between the degree of obesity and lung functions is well defined in adults, but limited information is available about the childhood period.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to determine the impact of the degree of obesity on the pulmonary functions of school children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Included in the study were a total of 170 school children and adolescents (9-17 years old) referred to our paediatric outpatient clinic. Of these subjects, 42 were lean and non-obese (BMI % <85), 30 subjects were overweight (BMI % >85, <95), 34 subjects were obese (BMI % >95, <97), and 64 subjects were morbidly obese (BMI % >97). Anthropometric measurements were taken and spirometry was performed on all subjects. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity 25-75 (FEV25-75) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were used to measure the ventilatory functions for all the subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups showed no significant differences in age or gender. Despite no statistically significant differences in FEV1, FVC, or FEV1/FVC, there were significant reductions in PEF (p<0.001) and FEV25-75 (p<0.001) in the overweight, obese and morbidly obese subjects, when compared with those who were non-obese.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overweight, obese and morbidly obese children have no obstructive abnormalities compared with healthy lean subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Bezmialem Vakif University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Bezmialem Vakif University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cakir
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Bezmialem Vakif University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozgüç
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, Bezmialem Vakif University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilker Tolga
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Ozgen
keywords: Adolescent; obesity; respiratory function tests; school children