World Asthma Day: Why Should Obesity Be Seen as a Trigger? How to Stop a Childhood Condition?

What is the relationship between asthma and obesity?

Traditionally, asthma was thought to be a genetic disease caused by environmental factors such as allergens and air pollution. The trachea, which allows air to move in and out of the lungs, swells and produces excess mucus, making breathing difficult. Recently, however, the relationship between asthma and obesity has become more recognized. According to the Global Asthma Initiative (GINA), which releases its annual strategy report each year on World Asthma Day (the first Tuesday in May), obesity increases both the prevalence and incidence of asthma, and can improve asthma control. aggravate the

Dr Salvi, a member of the GINA Global Scientific Committee established by WHO, the National Institutes of Health and the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, said the first study on the subject was done in India. From September 2021 he October. Overweight and obese children were shown to have a 79% higher risk of asthma than healthy children.

Research conducted by the PURE Foundation in collaboration with DelhiThe Lung Care Foundation and the CSIR-Indian Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, based in Delhi, found a very high prevalence of asthma among adolescent schoolchildren in Delhi (29 per cent or approximately 1 in 3 children). Reported.

The team concluded that this was only associated with obesity, not with traditional plant-derived allergens (flowering plant pollen) or animal-derived allergens (cat and dog allergens). As such, it increases the risk of developing asthma, which is now well established.”Air pollution also indirectly causes obesity. How? It contains chemicals called weight gain compounds that, when inhaled, enter the blood circulation through the lungs and damage the endocrine system.

Obesity asthma is difficult to treat and requires appropriate assessment

Obese asthma patients are more difficult to treat and generally respond poorly to inhaler medications, which are highly effective in nonobese people, says Dr. Salvi, an obesity and metabolic consultant. Bariatric Surgeon Dr. Jayashree Todkar says obesity treatment is not just about adjusting inches and kilos. More than 70% of patients are asthma-free with treatment based on ,” she says.

Obesity is strongly associated with chronic fatigue and shortness of breath/shortness of breath even with minimal exercise. “Obesity-induced hypoventilation is a multifactorial syndrome commonly seen in patients with central obesity (waist circumference >100 cm in men and >90 cm in women) and/or body mass index >33 kg/m2.

High intra-abdominal pressure, inability to fully expand the lower lobe of the lung, associated hypertension and preload on the heart are the main causes. A specific feature of central obesity is acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which causes recurrent irritation of the throat, spillage of acid into the trachea, and intractable cough and respiratory tract irritation. Many people misclassify it as bronchial asthma, but unless the underlying central obesity is scientifically treated, it will not respond. adds Dr. Todkar. Studies show that there are an estimated 135 million people in India with general obesity, 153 million with abdominal obesity and 107 million with combined obesity.

India accounts for 17% of the global asthma burden

India has over 30 million asthma patients, accounting for nearly 17% of the global asthma burden. India is also disproportionately responsible for 43% of the world’s asthma deaths. This is due to underdiagnosis, wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment. “Diagnostic denial and lack of knowledge, along with myths, misconceptions and social stigma associated with asthma and its treatment, exacerbate the problem. Inhalation therapy is the safest, quickest and most effective treatment for asthma, but less than 10% of asthma patients in India use it regularly ,” says Dr. Salvi.

Most viral infections are known to exacerbate asthma, COVID-19 was an exception

One reason for this is the use of inhaled corticosteroids by asthma patients, which surprisingly have been effective in treating COVID-19 infection. Inhaled corticosteroid use surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and may have saved many lives. “The pandemic has taught us that wearing a mask can save lives. We need to continue today to keep it down,” says Dr. Sarvi.

Increase in childhood asthma

Dr. Zafar Ahmad Iqbal, Director of Respiratory, Critical Care and Sleep Research at Fortis Hospital Mohali is concerned about an increase in childhood asthma and calls for early intervention. “With good management, such attacks can be prevented. By the time he reaches puberty, more than 50 percent of children are asthmatic-free,” he says. “Common symptoms in childhood include whistling and wheezing sounds when exhaling. Asthma attacks occur when a child is exposed to viruses, cold air, pollen, pets, perfumes, dust, etc. during sleep. It can affect your routine and performance,” he adds.

Dr. Iqbal recommends identifying, diagnosing, and appropriately treating childhood asthma with bronchodilators under professional supervision. “Parents should not heed the myth that inhalers are a habit-forming practice. There is,” he explains.

Bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids are given by the inhaled route to ensure adequate drug delivery to the lungs with few side effects. “An inhaler can help prevent negative effects systemically. Keep your home low humidity, keep indoor air clean, reduce pet dander (animals that shed small flakes from their skin), dust control, cool air.” You can prevent asthma attacks by introducing certain lifestyle changes, such as reducing your exposure to: Watch your diet and make sure it’s rich in vitamin D. These include milk, eggs , beta-carotene-rich vegetables such as carrots and leafy greens, magnesium-rich foods such as spinach and pumpkin seeds, and regular exercise, such as yoga, can also help you stay healthy. For the lungs to be normal, the child must be asymptomatic,” says Dr. Iqbal.