Grab Best Fitness Blog Feed
...By Karli Taylor
Obesity has been rapidly increasing in prevalence over the past two decades—in children as well as in adults. Although obesity is a recognized risk factor for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and some forms of cancer, new evidence suggests that obesity may also contribute to or even cause asthma.
Obese patients with severe asthma account for 75% of emergency department visits for asthma. A new study shows that obese adults with asthma are more likely than normal weight asthma suffers to have severe and persistent symptoms, and when obese asthma patients lose weight, there is a notable decrease in asthma symptoms and severity.
Obesity affects the anatomy of both the lungs and airways. Excess mass in the abdomen and chest put pressure on the lungs and the airways restricting the flow of air.
The impact can actually be life altering for children because that extra mass can affect lung growth, resulting in smaller lungs and reduced pulmonary function.
Another possible correlation is that obese individuals breathe at higher frequencies—but with smaller breaths—compared with non-obese individuals. As a result, the muscles around the airway are overworked and over stressed.
With every new study that emerges about the impacts of obesity, it becomes more clear that we have to take a firm stand against obesity.
