RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effects of breast feeding and overweight on asthma and respiratory symptoms in schoolchildren
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP P1179
VO 44
IS Suppl 58
A1 Aya Lafta
A1 Mohammed Shamssain
YR 2014
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P1179.abstract
AB Very few studies have looked at the long-term effects of breastfeeding. Studies showed an overweight status may negatively affect the activity level among those with asthma or wheeze. The present study is part of a large population study in the United Arab of Emirates (UAE) and Iraq. We studied 1780 schoolchildren from both countries. We used the Arabic and English version of ISAAC questionnaire (the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood). The prevalence rates of ever wheezed, current wheeze, speech limitation, ever diagnosed with asthma, dry cough, and exercise-induced asthma in children who breastfed 10 months or less were significantly higher than those who breastfed more than 10 months ( 30.7%, 23.6%, 5.4%, 30.8%, 30.0%, and 23.8% vs. 16.5%, 12.6%, 4.8%, 15.7%, 11.2%, and 13.1%, respectively). The prevalence rates of the above symptoms in children with a BMI more than 22 were significantly higher than those with BMI 22 or less (28.2%, 20.3%, 3.0%, 28.1%, 24.2%, and 22.2% vs. 20.4%,17.0%, 2.5%, 19.9%, 16.6%, and 15.2%, respectively). The present study shows that long period of breastfeeding offer more protection from asthma and respiratory symptoms than short period of breastfeeding. Overweight children have significantly higher prevalence rates of asthma and respiratory symptoms than normal weight children. The present study helps to implement intervention strategies to reduce asthma and respiratory symptoms in children.