Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist
A new study looks at the relationship between obesity and asthma.
Both asthma and obesity are on the increase in the western world and, naturally, researchers have wondered whether there could be some kind of link. A possible connection is through gastroesophageal reflux (GER), a condition where stomach acid comes back up the esophagus, which could irritate the lungs. We already know that GER is more common in people who are obese.
Researchers in Sweden looked at a group of more than 16,000 adults. They found that both obesity and GER appeared to be risk factors for asthma. But they are independently associated with asthma - that means that efforts should be made, through lifestyle change and medication, to reduce both obesity and GER. The study suggests that a link between obesity and asthma cannot solely be explained by GER.
Source
European Respiratory Journal July 2004