The Challenge of Obesity and Asthma in Children and Adolescents
Erick Forno 1, Juan C. Celedón 1
1 Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy, and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
*Correspondence: Erick Forno, Email not available
Abstract
Obesity and asthma each affect millions of people worldwide and the prevalence of both diseases has substantially risen in the last few decades. Solid epidemiological and experimental evidence strongly suggest that obesity increases asthma risk and severity, leading to growing recognition of an obese asthma phenotype. This phenotype is complex and multifactorial, differs between children and adults, and likely encompasses several sub-phenotypes. In this article, we will review the characteristics of obese asthma in children, as well as some of its underlying pathways. Furthermore, we will discuss some remaining challenges in the research, diagnosis, and management of obese asthma in children.
