A Multifactorial Weight Reduction Programme for Children with Overweight and Asthma: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
There is increasing evidence that obesity is related to asthma development and severity. However, it is largely unknown whether weight reduction can influence asthma management, especially in children.



To determine the effects of a multifactorial weight reduction intervention on asthma management in overweight/obese children with (a high risk of developing) asthma.



An 18-month weight-reduction randomized controlled trial was conducted in 87 children with overweight/obesity and asthma. Every six months, measurements of anthropometry, lung function, lifestyle parameters and inflammatory markers were assessed. Analyses were performed with linear mixed models for longitudinal analyses.



After 18 months, the body mass index-standard deviation score decreased by -0.14±0.29 points (p<0.01) in the intervention group and -0.12±0.34 points (p<0.01) in the control group. This change over time did not differ between groups (p>0.05). Asthma features (including asthma control and asthma-related quality of life) and lung function indices (static and dynamic) improved significantly over time in both groups. The FVC% predicted improved over time by 10.1 ± 8.7% in the intervention group (p<0.001), which was significantly greater than the 6.1 ± 8.4% in the control group (p<0.05).



Clinically relevant improvements in body weight, lung function and asthma features were found in both the intervention and control group, although some effects were more pronounced in the intervention group (FVC, asthma control, and quality of life). This implies that a weight reduction intervention could be clinically beneficial for children with asthma.



ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00998413.
Department of Paediatric Pulmonology, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Maartje
M
Willeboordse
Department of Paediatric Pulmonology, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Kim D G
KDG
van de Kant
Department of Methodology and Statistics, CAPHRI, MUMC, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Frans E S
FE
Tan
Department of Clinical Psychological Science, School for Experimental Psychopathology (EPP), Maastricht University, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Sandra
S
Mulkens
Department of Physiotherapy, MUMC, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Julia
J
Schellings
Department of Physiotherapy, MUMC, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Yvonne
Y
Crijns
Department of Dietetics, MUMC, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Liesbeth van der
Lv
Ploeg
Department of Family Medicine, CAPHRI, MUMC, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Constant P
CP
van Schayck
Department of Paediatric Pulmonology, School for Public Health and Primary Care (CAPHRI), Maastricht University Medical Centre (MUMC), Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Edward
E
Dompeling
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000379:methods*