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BMC Pediatrics
Published in: BMC Pediatrics 1/2022

Open Access 01-12-2022 | Obesity | Research

Association between obesity and lung function in South African adolescents of African Ancestry

Authors: Godwill Azeh Engwa, Chungag Anye, Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag

Published in: BMC Pediatrics | Issue 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

There is a growing body of literature on the increasing prevalence of obesity in adolescents of Sub-Saharan African ancestry. However, limited data is available on the impact of obesity on pulmonary function. This study assessed the relationship between obesity and lung function in South African adolescents of African ancestry.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study involving 10–14 year old adolescents recruited from middle schools of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Anthropometric measurements were performed. Body mass index (BMI) was converted to percentiles for age and sex and used to classified obesity. Spirometry was performed to assess lung function. Chi-square test of association and binary regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between obesity and airway obstruction. Adjusted linear regression was used to determine the relationship between obesity and lung function parameters.

Results

A total of 540 adolescents were recruited for the study among which 77 (14.3%) were obese. Lung function parameters: forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were higher (p < 0.001) in obese than in non-obese adolescents while peak expiratory flow (PEF) % and FEV1/FVC ratio were lower (p < 0.05) in obese than non-obese adolescents. Obesity was associated (χ2 = 9.614; p < 0.01) with airway obstruction and obese adolescents were over 1.5 times more likely to have pulmonary obstruction (OR: 1.57; p < 0.05) than their non-obese counterparts. Anthropometric measures were positively associated (p < 0.05) with FVC, FEV1, PEF and/or FEV25-75 but negatively associated with FEV1/FVC ratio.

Conclusions

Obesity was associated with airway obstruction in South Africa adolescents of African ancestry.
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Metadata
Title
Association between obesity and lung function in South African adolescents of African Ancestry
Authors
Godwill Azeh Engwa
Chungag Anye
Benedicta Ngwenchi Nkeh-Chungag
Publication date
01-12-2022
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keywords
Obesity
Obesity
Published in
BMC Pediatrics / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2431
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03164-x

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