Public
Health 2018 Jun;159:123-128
DOI 10.1016/j.puhe.2018.02.014
Received: 9 August 2017 /
Revised: 12 February 2018 / Accepted: 14 February 2018
Epub
2018 Mar 21
© 2018 The Royal Society
for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
JA Lucas, S Moonie, MB Hogan, WN Evans
Source
Children’s Heart
Center Nevada, 3006 S Maryland Pkwy, Ste 690, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109, USA. Email:
wnevans50@aol.com
Abstract
Children with comorbid asthma and
obesity present with more severe and harder-to-control disease than asthmatic
children at healthy weight. Weight loss has been shown to improve asthma
symptoms, yet physical activity may be difficult due to exercise-induced
bronchospasm. Children with asthma have lower exercise rates than
non-asthmatics. The objective of this study was to retrospectively
evaluate attrition rates and program outcome measures (Body Mass Index [BMI]
and maximum oxygen consumption [VO2max]) among asthmatic and
non-asthmatic participants.
Clinical data were collected from the
Healthy Hearts Program, a 12-week nutrition and activity intervention program
for children who are overweight, obese, or at risk for heart
disease and other conditions, and used
for the study.
Intervention data and demographics
were obtained from medical records at the Children's Heart Center Nevada.
Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, Cox regression analysis, and
analysis of covariance were conducted.
The mean age of this population (N = 232)
was 11 years; 54% were male, 64% were Hispanic, and 37% had asthma. Median time
in the program was 9 weeks, and 58% of the population completed the program.
Unadjusted analyses showed significant BMI decreases in asthmatic (P = 0.002)
and non-asthmatic (P = 0.001) participants and
increases in cardiorespiratory function for asthmatic males and females (P = 0.003, P = 0.004)
and non-asthmatic males and females (P < 0.001 for both).
Asthmatic and non-asthmatic children both had improved exercise intensity (P = 0.033, P < 0.001).
This program is both beneficial and practical for obese
children with asthma for losing weight and improving cardiorespiratory
function.
ic
Health. 2018 Jun;159:123-128