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Increasing body mass index from age 5 to 14 years predicts asthma among adolescents: evidence from a birth cohort study

International Journal of Obesity volume 31, pages 578–583 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Background:

Obesity and asthma are common disorders, and the prevalence of both has increased in recent decades. It has been suggested that increases in the prevalence of obesity might in part explain the increase in asthma prevalence. This study aims to examine the prospective association between change in body mass index (BMI) z-score between ages 5 and 14 years and asthma symptoms at 14 years.

Methods:

Data was taken from the Mater University Study of Pregnancy and its outcomes (MUSP), a birth cohort of 7223 mothers and children started in Brisbane (Australia) in 1981. BMI was measured at age 5 and 14 years. Asthma was assessed from maternal reports of symptoms at age 5 and 14 years. In this study analyses were conducted on 2911 participants who had information on BMI and asthma at both ages.

Results:

BMI z-score at age 14 and the change in BMI z-score from age 5 to 14–years were positively associated with asthma symptoms at age 14 years, whereas BMI z-score at age 5 was not associated with asthma at age 14. Adjustment for a range of early-life exposures did not substantially alter these findings. The association between change in BMI z-score with asthma symptoms at 14 years appeared stronger for male subjects compared with female subjects but there was no statistical evidence for a sex difference (P=0.36).

Conclusions:

Increase in BMI z-score between age 5 and 14 years is associated with increased risk of asthma symptoms in adolescence.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all participants in the study. Greg Shuttlewood, University of Queensland helped with data management for the study. The core study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia. This work was funded by the NHMRC (Grant number: 252834) and carried out at The University of Queensland and The Mater Hospital. DAL is funded by a (UK) Department of Health Career Scientist Award. The views expressed in the paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of any funding body.

Author contributions: AAM, DAL and RA developed the study aim and design. JN, MO, GW set up and are responsible for the conceptual development and continued management of the Mater University Study of Pregnancy and its outcomes. AAM, DAL and RA undertook the analysis and wrote the first draft of the paper. All authors contributed to the final version of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Longitudinal Studies Unit, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    A A Mamun, R Alati, G M Williams & J M Najman

  2. Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    D A Lawlor

  3. Child Development and Rehabilitation Services, Mater Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia

    M J O'Callaghan

  4. School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    J M Najman

Authors
  1. A A Mamun
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  2. D A Lawlor
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  3. R Alati
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  4. M J O'Callaghan
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  5. G M Williams
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  6. J M Najman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A A Mamun.

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Mamun, A., Lawlor, D., Alati, R. et al. Increasing body mass index from age 5 to 14 years predicts asthma among adolescents: evidence from a birth cohort study. Int J Obes 31, 578–583 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803571

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