The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45607

Hyun-Cheol Ahn, MD, PhD¹, Kyu-Yoon Hwang, MD, DrPH¹, Hae-Sun Nam, MD, PhD², Joon-Soo Park, MD, PhD², Jin-Gook Kim, MD, PhD², Sang-Han Lee, MD, PhD², and Choon-Sik Park, MD, PhD². (1) Department of Preventive Medicine & Genome Research Center of Respiratory Diseases, Soonchunhyang University, 1174 Jung-dong Wonmi-Gu, Bucheon, 420-853, South Korea, (2) Genome Research Center of Respiratory Diseases, Soonchunhyang University, 23-20 Bongmyung-dong, Chunan, 330-100, South Korea

Background and Objective: Recently, the prevalence of obesity and bronchial asthma has being rapidly increased in Korea. Body mass index (BMI) is associated with allergic-related symptoms, airway hyper-responsiveness, and atopy. Until now little information is known on relation of asthma with anthropometric indices such as body fat (BF) and abdominal fat (AF). This study was designed to evaluate which anthropometric parameters could be related to asthma in Korean adults.

Materials and Methods: During March 2001 October 2001, 2,504 subjects, aged 20 - 79 years, were enrolled in a Health Promotion Center, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect asthma-related symptoms and past and family history of allergy. The obese was defined as BMI > 25 kg/m²) and over fat was classified as BF and AF > 75 percentiles. Associations were expressed as odds ratios and interaction between covariates were assessed by multiple logistic regressions.

Results: Prevalence of asthma and obesity (BMI > 25kg/m²) in Korean adults was 32.9% and 30.3%, respectively. Asthma was significantly higher in cigarette smokers (p < 0.01), subjects with positive family history (p < 0.01), and obese subjects (p < 0.01). After adjusting for possible confounders, BMI (OR=1.39, 95% CI=1.16 - 1.68) and AF (OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.18 - 1.76) were remained significant predictors of asthma. No significant effect modification by gender was observed.

Conclusion: Our results suggested that fat deposition defined by anthropometrics such as BMI and abdominal fat is associated with asthma in relatively low obese Korean adults.

Learning Objectives:

• determine anthropometric indices for better predictor of asthma in relatively non-obese adult population

Keywords: Obesity, Indicators

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Grant: Korea Health 21 R&D Porject(01-PJ3-PG6-01GN04-0003)