Early childhood obesity and the development of asthma : a systematic review
Jaatinen, Juho (2025-02-27)
Early childhood obesity and the development of asthma : a systematic review
(27.02.2025)
Julkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.
avoin
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on:
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2025030315188
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2025030315188
Tiivistelmä
Background
Childhood overweight and obesity have been recognized as risk factors for childhood asthma. However, mixed results have been observed across different subgroups. Boys might have a higher risk than girls of developing asthma. Other factors that increase asthma risk include gut microbiota and neonatal conditions, both of which may also be linked to excess weight. Childhood weight trajectories are suggested to be a more useful tool for evaluating the risk of asthma development than isolated cross-sectional weight measurements at specific ages. This work aims to elucidate the current knowledge on two key questions related to childhood asthma and obesity.
Objective
The aim of this study was to analyze two questions related to childhood asthma and obesity: 1. Does an infant's large birth size increase the incidence of asthma, and can it be differentiated into atopic and non-atopic asthma? 2. Does early childhood obesity (obesity at two years of age) increase the incidence of asthma compared to children who become obese later in childhood (obesity at five years of age)?
Methods
This is a systematic review conducted through a literature search in the PubMed database, focusing on key findings regarding the association between childhood asthma and obesity. The literature search in PubMed was performed independently. The data from the screened articles were not independently retrieved or analyzed. The top 200 search results were screened, and three articles that met the selection criteria were included in this systematic review.
Results
Obesity and overweight are risk factors for asthma only in boys, but not in girls. Early obesity likely does not increase asthma risk if the child loses excess weight, whereas late obesity probably does. The association between birth size and asthma was inconclusive.
Childhood overweight and obesity have been recognized as risk factors for childhood asthma. However, mixed results have been observed across different subgroups. Boys might have a higher risk than girls of developing asthma. Other factors that increase asthma risk include gut microbiota and neonatal conditions, both of which may also be linked to excess weight. Childhood weight trajectories are suggested to be a more useful tool for evaluating the risk of asthma development than isolated cross-sectional weight measurements at specific ages. This work aims to elucidate the current knowledge on two key questions related to childhood asthma and obesity.
Objective
The aim of this study was to analyze two questions related to childhood asthma and obesity: 1. Does an infant's large birth size increase the incidence of asthma, and can it be differentiated into atopic and non-atopic asthma? 2. Does early childhood obesity (obesity at two years of age) increase the incidence of asthma compared to children who become obese later in childhood (obesity at five years of age)?
Methods
This is a systematic review conducted through a literature search in the PubMed database, focusing on key findings regarding the association between childhood asthma and obesity. The literature search in PubMed was performed independently. The data from the screened articles were not independently retrieved or analyzed. The top 200 search results were screened, and three articles that met the selection criteria were included in this systematic review.
Results
Obesity and overweight are risk factors for asthma only in boys, but not in girls. Early obesity likely does not increase asthma risk if the child loses excess weight, whereas late obesity probably does. The association between birth size and asthma was inconclusive.