Secondhand smoke and traffic exhaust confer opposing risks for asthma in normal and overweight children. (19th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: LeMasters, Grace; Levin, Linda; Bernstein, David I.; Lockey, Stephen D.; Lockey, James E.; Burkle, Jeff; Khurana Hershey, Gurjit K.; Brunst, Kelly; Ryan, Patrick H.
• Is Part Of: Obesity. Volume 23:Number 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 32
• Page End: 36
• Publication Date: 2014-11-19
• Subjects: Obesity -- Periodicals; 616.398005
• DOI: 10.1002/oby.20941
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1930-7381

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="oby20941-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) in secondhand smoke (SHS) and traffic‐related air pollution (TRAP) may elicit chronic inflammation. It was hypothesized that the association between these exposures would be potentiated in overweight versus normal‐weight children.</p> </sec> <sec id="oby20941-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Average lifetime exposure to TRAP and SHS and objective, physician‐diagnosed asthma were determined for 575 children at age 7. Overweight was defined as having a body mass index (BMI) <underline>></underline>85th percentile for age and gender. The association between TRAP and SHS exposure and asthma was examined by logistic regression stratified by BMI.</p> </sec> <sec id="oby20941-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>A total of 131 children were overweight; the prevalence of asthma was 24.4% and 14.2% among overweight and normal‐weight children, respectively. Exposure to SHS was significantly associated with asthma among overweight (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] = 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2, 7.4) but not normal‐weight children (adjOR = 1.1; 95% CI = 0.4, 2.7). In contrast, TRAP was significantly associated with asthma among normal‐weight (adjOR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.0, 3.4) but not overweight children (adjOR = 0.7; 95% CI = 0.4, 2.7).</p> </sec> <sec id="oby20941-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The association between SHS and TRAP exposure and asthma is modified by children's weight. Children's time‐activity patterns, including time spent indoors or outdoors, may vary by weight and play an important role in these UFP exposures.</p> </sec> </abstract>