title: Lifestyle factors and asthma in India - a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been a recent trend of increasing prevalence of asthma in developing countries; prevalence in the Indian population is reported to be 2%. The link between lifestyle factors and asthma has been mostly derived from western literature. The present study intended to study relationship if any, between life style factors and asthma in a representative Indian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is a case-control study performed for a period of one year, between 2014 and 2015. 125 asthma and correspondingly age and sex matched healthy controls were recruited for the purpose of study. A self-reported questionnaire has been prepared based on routine lifestyle habits of Indian population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hours of TV watching and hours of sleep were significantly higher in asthma patients, and also duration of sports activity showed inverse relation with asthma. Smoking, tobacco, chewing as well as alcohol consumption were higher in asthma patients in comparison to controls, though neither was statistically significant. The mental stress as assessed on scale of 1-10, was significantly higher in asthma patients (p < 0.001). Asthma patients had significantly lower travel duration/week (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study concluded increased TV watching, increased mental stress, reduced hours of physical activity and travel may be correlated with asthma in India. With growing evidence of increasing association of asthma and sedentary lifestyle, it is imperative to reduce acquaintance to as well as incidence of these factors through public health policies, which may impact prevalence of asthma in Indian population.
authors.forename: Mohammed Noufal
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Poongadan
authors.forename: Nitesh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Allergy and Applied Immunology V P Chest Institute, University of Delhi, India. rajkumarvpci@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014195:Travel; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: India; TV watching; asthma; lifestyle