Asthma and Obesity in American Article Review

This study indicates that some races are at higher risk of catching asthma when obesity is prevalent as compared to other races. This observation may help medical insurance companies to target these vulnerable groups of ethnic races. The study was helpful in further categorizing the chronic health issues of obesity and asthma with respect to its impact on each ethnic group. Though the result might not be able to generate much concern in white Hispanics or Pacific Islanders, researchers could further investigate the factors that make these ethnic groups vulnerable to increased likelihood of catching asthma when obese. This study adds new knowledge to the existing research on relationship of asthma and obesity.

Hasan, et al. (2006) have investigated the role of obesity in enabling the development of asthma symptoms in urban minority children. 109 children between the ages of 1.6-14.7 years were taken as sample and were enrolled for conducting this research study. African-American (80 children out of 109) and White children (29 out of 109) were made part of this study. The children with increased l.5 times more chances of having asthma were obese. This indicates that researchers have found close and strong association between obesity and asthma. Though, there is inconsistency in existing research materials regarding exact causal relationship between obesity and asthma, this study found that inner-city children, called the minority of children living in urban settings are at an increased risk of being obese and an asthma patient. BMI and height were accessed regarding the sample of this study. Questionnaires were used to obtain data regarding asthma symptoms from the children. Spirometry was also assessed by employing a respiratory therapist. The main factors that questionnaire was used to assess were whether or not children have experienced wheezing at any time along with wheezing during exercise and sleep time. Cough symptoms at night were also being inquired, if any experienced by the respondent child.

This study was also based on the medical related issue faced by children that are obese and display asthma symptoms. Although, researchers have uniformly observed that such as association between obesity and asthma exists, these researchers somewhat differ on the existence of causal relationship between obesity and presence of asthma symptoms for more than one year under observation. The reviewed articles indicate that there exists a strong and positive relationship between obesity in the U.S. children and the asthma presence as a chronic health disease. The obesity of the U.S. children puts them at a greater risk of having administered emergency medication along with sleep deprivation and abrupt sleep patterns during nigh sleep.

References

Black, M.H., Smith, N., Porter, a.H., Jacobsen, S.J., & Koebnick, C. (2012). Higher prevalence of obesity among children with asthma. Obesity, 20(5), 1041-1047.

Fiese, B.H., Everhart, R.S., & Wildenger, L. (2009). Wheezing, sleeping, and worrying: The hidden risks of asthma and obesity in school-age children. Psychology in the Schools, 46(8), 728-738.

Hasan, R.A., Zureikat, G.Y., Nolan, B.M., LaChance, J.L., Campe, J.L., & Amin, R. (2006). The relationship between asthma and overweight in urban minority children. Journal of the National Medical Association, 98(2), 138.

Suglia, S.F., Chambers, E.C., Rosario, a., & Duarte, C.S. (2011). Asthma and obesity in three-year-old urban children: Role of sex and home environment. The Journal of pediatrics,…