--- title: "Association of obesity and asthma in US adults. | Sutter Health" description: "To examine the association of BMI, WC, and WHtR with the prevalence of asthma by atopic status and sex using nationally representative data in the US." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-atopic-nonatopic-asthma-in-us-adults-1055312601" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Association of obesity and asthma in US adults. # Association of general and central obesity and atopic and nonatopic asthma in US adults. Ma J & Xiao L. _J Asthma. 50(4):395-402. doi: 10.3109/02770903.2013.770014. Epub 2013 Feb 25._ 2013-05-01 ## Abstract ****OBJECTIVE:**** To examine the association of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with the prevalence of asthma by atopic status and sex using nationally representative data in the US. ****METHODS:**** The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006 data were analyzed using areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) and multivariate logistic regression models. ****RESULTS:**** Women had higher AUCs (0.59-0.64) than men (0.50-0.58) across anthropometric indices and asthma outcomes. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and smoking status, only WHtR was positively associated with atopic asthma in both sexes (odds ratio per 1 SD \[95% confidence interval\]: men, 1.018 \[1.004, 1.032\], p = .01; women, 1.018 \[1.006, 1.030\], p = .003), and the associations persisted after further adjustment of BMI. Only in women was nonatopic asthma significantly associated with every 1 SD increase of BMI (odds ratio \[95% confidence interval\]: 1.018 \[1.006, 1.030\], p = .003), WC (1.018 \[1.006, 1.030\], p = .004), and WHtR (1.016 \[1.004, 1.028\], p = .008). ****CONCLUSIONS:**** Using US national data, this study adds to the emerging evidence suggesting two possible distinct phenotypes: (1) obese men and women with atopic asthma and (2) obese women with nonatopic asthma. The mechanistic and therapeutic implications of these findings warrant further investigation. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Association+of+general+and+central+obesity+and+atopic+and+n) ## Research topics - [Asthma](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Asthma%5C%22%22) - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) - [Obesity](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Obesity%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [The Breathe Easier through Weight Loss Lifestyle (BE WELL) Intervention: a randomized controlled trial.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/asthma-management-through-weight-loss-1055312542) Ma J, Strub P, Camargo CA Jr, Xiao L, Ayala E, Gardner CD, Buist AS, Haskell WL, Lavori PW, Wilson SR. BMC Pulm Med. 10:16. doi: 10.1186/1471-2466-10-16. 2010 Mar 24 - Publication ### [Behavioral weight loss and physical activity intervention in obese adults with asthma: a randomized trial.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/behavioral-weight-loss-in-obese-asthmatic-adults-1055312842) Ma J, Strub P, Xiao L, Lavori PW, Camargo CA Jr, Wilson SR, Gardner CD, Buist AS, Haskell WL, Lv N. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 12(1):1-11. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201406-271OC. 2015 Jan 01 - Publication ### [Shared treatment decision making improves adherence and outcomes in poorly controlled asthma.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/shared-decision-making-improves-asthma-outcomes-1055312698) Wilson SR, Strub P, Buist AS, Knowles SB, Lavori PW, Lapidus J, Vollmer WM; Better Outcomes of Asthma Treatment (BOAT) Study Group. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 181(6):566-77. doi: 10.1164/rccm.200906-0907OC. Epub 2009 Dec 17. 2010 Mar 15 - Publication ### [Obesity, insulin resistance and the prevalence of atopy and asthma in US adults.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-insulin-resistance-atopy-asthma-adults-1055312557) Ma J, Xiao L, Knowles SB. Allergy. 65(11):1455-63. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2010.02402.x. 2010 Nov 01 - Publication ### [A new measure to assess asthma's impact on quality of life from the patient's perspective.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/assess-qol-in-asthma-pt-point-of-view-1055312418) Wilson SR, Mulligan MJ, Ayala E, Chausow A, Huang Q, Knowles SB, Gummidipundi S, Castro M, Wise RA. J Allergy Clin Immunol. pii: S0091-6749(17)30887-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.02.047. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2017 Jun 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-atopic-nonatopic-asthma-in-us-adults-1055312601#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Association of obesity and asthma in US adults."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-atopic-nonatopic-asthma-in-us-adults-1055312601#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Association of general and central obesity and atopic and nonatopic asthma in US adults.","headline":"Association of obesity and asthma in US adults.","abstract":"OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with the prevalence of asthma by atopic status and sex using nationally representative data in the US. METHODS: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006 data were analyzed using areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUCs) and multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Women had higher AUCs (0.59-0.64) than men (0.50-0.58) across anthropometric indices and asthma outcomes. After controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and smoking status, only WHtR was positively associated with atopic asthma in both sexes (odds ratio per 1 SD [95% confidence interval]: men, 1.018 [1.004, 1.032], p = .01; women, 1.018 [1.006, 1.030], p = .003), and the associations persisted after further adjustment of BMI. Only in women was nonatopic asthma significantly associated with every 1 SD increase of BMI (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.018 [1.006, 1.030], p = .003), WC (1.018 [1.006, 1.030], p = .004), and WHtR (1.016 [1.004, 1.028], p = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Using US national data, this study adds to the emerging evidence suggesting two possible distinct phenotypes: (1) obese men and women with atopic asthma and (2) obese women with nonatopic asthma. The mechanistic and therapeutic implications of these findings warrant further investigation.","description":"To examine the association of BMI, WC, and WHtR with the prevalence of asthma by atopic status and sex using nationally representative data in the US.","keywords":["Asthma","Health Services","Obesity"],"datePublished":"2013-05-01","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-atopic-nonatopic-asthma-in-us-adults-1055312601","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"DOI","value":"10.3109/02770903.2013.770014"}],"sameAs":["https://doi.org/10.3109/02770903.2013.770014"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"J Asthma"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ma J"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Xiao L"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Asthma","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Asthma%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Health Services","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Health+Services%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Obesity","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Obesity%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-atopic-nonatopic-asthma-in-us-adults-1055312601","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/obesity-atopic-nonatopic-asthma-in-us-adults-1055312601#breadcrumblist"}}} ```