Large waisted women more likely to have asthma
26 August 2009

Women with a large waist are more likely to develop asthma even if they have a normal body weight, according to an American study published in the journal Thorax. The researchers also confirmed a link between excess weight and asthma severity and prevalence.

Obesity is a risk factor for adult asthma, especially in women, but few studies have looked at the relationship between large waist size and asthma.

The researchers analysed 88,304 women with asthma over a 10-year period and found that 11,500 (13%) of them were obese at the start of the study, including 1,334 who were extremely obese.

Compared with women of normal weight – body mass index (BMI) below 25 – women who were obese were more than twice as likely to have adult onset asthma, and extremely obese women were more than three times more likely to have asthma.

The researchers also found that large waist circumference (more than 88 cm) was associated with increased asthma prevalence even among women with a normal body weight or BMI.

Women who were obese and overweight were at greater risk of severe asthma attacks, shown by urgent medical visits and hospital admissions.

Leanne Metcalf, Assistant Director of Research at Asthma UK, said: ‘We already know that obesity and asthma are linked, however the most interesting finding from this research is that women of normal weight with a large waist, the so-called “apple” shape, are more likely to develop asthma.

‘Crucially, however, the researchers have not taken into account other factors which may have significantly influenced whether or not these women would have gone on to develop asthma anyway, for example if they had a family history of asthma and allergy. However, as this study involves such a large number of women, the results are likely to have some significance.

‘Therefore it's important that people with asthma eat a healthy, balanced diet, which is low in fat and sugar, and take regular exercise. Taking these steps can aid weight loss, improve lung function and help get asthma symptoms under control, especially given the established links between high levels of abdominal fat and other long-term health conditions.’