Losing Weight May Ease Asthma in Obese People

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Losing weight may help reduce asthma severity in obese adults, a new Canadian study finds.

“We were pleased to see significant improvement in asthma symptoms, as well as quality of life for these individuals. This study further supports the need to manage [chronic disorders] to improve patient lives,” said study author Dr. Smita Pakhale, from The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa.

People who are obese are about 1.5 times more likely to have asthma than those who aren’t obese. A 3-unit increase in body mass index — BMI, an estimate of body fat based on weight and height — is associated with a 35 percent increase in the risk of asthma, the researchers said in a news release from the American College of Chest Physicians.

A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal weight. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is overweight, while 30 and over is considered obese.

The study found that when obese people with asthma lost weight, they showed improvement in asthma severity, asthma control and quality of life.

The study appears in the June issue of the journal Chest.

More information

The American Lung Association has more about asthma.

Source: HealthDay

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