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. 2021 Jul;32(5):992-998.
doi: 10.1111/pai.13492. Epub 2021 Mar 20.

Overweight and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction - Is there a link?

Maiju Malmberg  1 , L Pekka Malmberg  1 , Anna S Pelkonen  1 , Mika J Mäkelä  1 , Anne Kotaniemi-Syrjänen  1
Affiliations

Overweight and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction - Is there a link?

Maiju Malmberg et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of body mass index with regard to exercise performance, exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), and respiratory symptoms in 7- to 16-year-old children.

Methods: A total of 1120 outdoor running exercise challenge test results of 7- to 16-year-old children were retrospectively reviewed. Lung function was evaluated with spirometry, and exercise performance was assessed by calculating distance per 6 minutes from the running time and distance. Respiratory symptoms in the exercise challenge test were recorded, and body mass index modified for children (ISO-BMI) was calculated for each child from height, weight, age, and gender according to the national growth references.

Results: Greater ISO-BMI and overweight were associated with poorer exercise performance (P < .001). In addition, greater ISO-BMI was independently associated with cough (P = .002) and shortness of breath (P = .012) in the exercise challenge. However, there was no association between ISO-BMI and EIB or with wheeze during the exercise challenge.

Conclusion: Greater ISO-BMI may have a role in poorer exercise performance and appearance of respiratory symptoms during exercise, but not in EIB in 7- to 16-year-old children.

Keywords: BMI; asthma; cough; exercise-induced bronchoconstriction; pediatrics; physical fitness; shortness of breath; wheeze.

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References

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