Weight Gain and Asthma
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Just five pounds of weight gain could make a difference for patients trying to keep their asthma under control. Dr. Ken Davis discusses a study about weight gain and asthma in today’s 60 Second Housecall.

A new study of adult asthma patients shows that those who gained five pounds over 12 months reported difficulty with asthma control.  They reported worse quality of life and greater use of steroid medication than patients who maintained their weight or lost weight.

The study analyzed the relationship between weight and asthma control in 2,400 adult patients who participated in the study. TENOR was a three-year, nationwide observational study of people with severe or difficult-to-treat asthma.

The study took into account other asthma factors, including body mass index, demographics, asthma severity, and oral steroid use.  Patients who gained weight during the first year of the study were significantly more likely to have poor asthma control than patients who maintained a stable weight.

Researchers say it’s likely that the weight gain affected the asthma symptoms, rather than the other way around. They suggested that weight management is an important strategy for asthma control.

For North Mississippi Medical Center, I’m Dr. Ken Davis.