Diet and exercise factor in children's asthma

 While diet and exercise have been shown to impact the develop of heart disease and other health issues, it has now been linked to children's asthma as well with obesity a risk factor.



“Our research showed that early abnormalities in lipid and/or glucose metabolism may be associated to the development of asthma in childhood,” said  Giovanni Piedimonte, M.D., lead author of the study that has made the determination about exercise and diet in the development of asthma.  She is a professor and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at West Virginia University School of Medicine, physician-in-chief at WVU Children’s Hospital and director of WVU’s Pediatric Research Institute.

Dr. Piedmonte goes on to say,  “Our findings also imply a strong and direct influence of metabolic pathways on the immune mechanisms, both innate and adaptive, involved in the pathogenesis of asthma in children.”

The research has been published by the American Thoracic Society and is available online.  It has also been published by the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.    It underlines what other experts have said about the value of good diet and exercise in providing a foundation for a healthy lifestyle for children.

Researchers examined the metabolic data and BMI index of approximately 18,000 children.  They found asthma increased with an increase in body mass index. On the other hand, after controlling for BMI and other  variables,  the prevalence of asthma was strongly related to  triglyceride levels and the presence of AN independently of BMI.

What doctors observe is that metabolic factors influence the inflammmation of the airways leading to asthma.  

“Both imbalanced nutrition and inadequate exercise may play a role in metabolic syndrome, and our experience suggests that degree of physical activity may be as important as nutrition,” said Dr Piedimonte. “Our present data suggest that strict monitoring and dietary control of triglyceride and glucose levels starting in the first years of life may have a role in the management of chronic asthma in children. "  She goes on to discuss the importance of selective screening programs based on family history of premature heart disease because of children who have genetic dyslipidemia.

Exercise and proper nutrition are important factors in the development of health stability at all ages.  At a time when children are developing, and learning new habits, it is important for them to learn healthy habits early.

Childhood health problems can also lead to problems in adulthood that can become increasingly serious with age.  That is why doctors counsel proper nutrition and exercise early on, so the child is healthy and grows up as a healthy adult.

In this case, the early interventions can impact asthma, a particularly devastating condition for many that can be interrupted in its evolution and severity if parents and children intervene early with good diet and exercise.