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Paediatric Pulmonology and Allergology
2005 April, Vol. VIII, No. 1 (2886-2894)
OBESITY AND THE PULMONOLOGIST
Anne Thomson
Department of Paediatrics of John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
There are many methods of measuring and determining obesity. One of the commonest and simplest methods used is body mass index. The increasing prevalence of obesity in both adults and children is a growing global health problem. Increasing body mass index in children is a risk factor for „asthma“ which may ultimately be obesity related chest symptoms that mimic asthma. Obese children have a two fold increased risk of being overweight adults. Obese children have more respiratory symptoms than their normal weight peers and respiratory related pathology increases with increasing weight. Obesity produces mechanical effects on respiratory system performance. Breathlessness, wheeze and cough are not related to increased airway responsiveness and may respond more to weight loss than bronchodilator therapy. A significant number of obese children have signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea largely related to the effect of obesity on upper airway dimensions.