Does the relationship between asthma and obesity differ by neighborhood? - 08/08/11
Corresponding author. PH 9 East, Room 105, Columbia University Medical Center, 622 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. Tel.: +1 212 305 4895; fax: +1 212 305 9849.Summary |
Background |
Prior studies suggest that obesity may cause asthma. Obesity and asthma are prevalent in low-income urban neighborhoods, but the impact of obesity on asthma in such neighborhoods has not been examined.
Methods |
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene surveyed 6119 adults age 18–54 years in 2002. Obesity was defined as body mass index≥30kg/m2 and current asthma as physician diagnosed asthma plus recent symptoms. We calculated prevalence (risk) differences (RD) and population attributable risk percents (PAR%).
Results |
Obese individuals had a 2.0% (95% CI: 0.5%, 3.6%; p=0.01) higher risk of current asthma than normal weight individuals overall. Obesity was more common in low-income neighborhoods compared with middle-to-upper-income neighborhoods (23% vs. 14%, p<0.001), as was current asthma (6% vs. 4%, respectively, p=0.02). The risk of current asthma associated with obesity was similar in low-income (RD: 1.3%, 95% CI: −1.5%, 4.0%; p=0.36) and middle-to-upper-income neighborhoods (RD: 2.0%, 95% CI: 0.1%, 3.9%; p=0.04). The PAR% for asthma due to obesity was not greater in low-income (7.3%) than in middle-to-upper-income neighborhoods (7.7%).
Conclusions |
It is unlikely that the excess asthma prevalence in urban low-income neighborhoods is disproportionately attributable to obesity. Instead, alternative causes of excess asthma should be sought.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Epidemiology, Survey, Urban health
Plan
Vol 102 - N° 12
P. 1797-1804 - décembre 2008 Retour au numéro
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