General and abdominal obesity and incident asthma in adults: the HUNT study

B Brumpton, A Langhammer… - European …, 2013 - Eur Respiratory Soc
B Brumpton, A Langhammer, P Romundstad, Y Chen, XM Mai
European Respiratory Journal, 2013Eur Respiratory Soc
Measures of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference define general obesity and
abdominal obesity respectively. While high BMI has been established as a risk factor for
asthma in adults, waist circumference has seldom been investigated. To determine the
association between BMI, waist circumference and incident asthma in adults, we conducted
a prospective study (n= 23,245) in a population living in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway in 1995–
2008. Baseline BMI and waist circumference were measured and categorised as general …
Measures of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference define general obesity and abdominal obesity respectively. While high BMI has been established as a risk factor for asthma in adults, waist circumference has seldom been investigated.
To determine the association between BMI, waist circumference and incident asthma in adults, we conducted a prospective study (n=23,245) in a population living in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway in 1995–2008.
Baseline BMI and waist circumference were measured and categorised as general obesity (BMI ≥30.0 kg·m2) and abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥88 cm in females and ≥102 cm in males). Incident asthma was self-reported new-onset cases during an 11-yr follow-up period. Odds ratios for asthma associated with obesity were calculated using multivariable logistic regression.
General obesity was a risk factor for asthma in females (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.52–2.52) and males (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.30–2.59). In females, after additional adjustment for BMI, abdominal obesity remained a risk factor for asthma development (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.04–2.05). Abdominal obesity seems to increase the risk of incident asthma in females in addition to BMI, indicating that using both measures of BMI and waist circumference in females may be a superior clinical assessment for asthma risk than any measure alone.
European Respiratory Society