Abdominal Obesity Weighs Heavily on Asthma Patients

Emerging data suggests that the location of body fat is an important factor in the risks for asthma among obese patients. A high body mass index (BMI) is a known risk factor for asthma in adults, but adding in waist circumference measurements leads to an even better assessment of the asthma risk, according to this large prospective study. The authors point out that abdominal obesity may be particularly important to manage among women since it was a risk factor for asthma even after correcting for general obesity.


RESULT: General and abdominal obesity and incident asthma in adults: the HUNT study
European Respiratory Journal | Jan 31, 2013 (Free abstract. Full text $15)



Abdominal obesity appears to increase the asthma risk among the elderly as well. This cross-sectional analysis of nearly 1,000 patients over age 65 found the risk for asthma increased in proportion to increased BMI or abdominal subcutaneous adiposity.


RESULT: Association between obesity and asthma in the elderly population: potential roles of abdominal subcutaneous adiposity and sarcopenia.
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (PubMed) | Oct 1, 2012 (Free abstract. Full text $31.50)