Association of weight-adjusted-waist index with asthma prevalence and the age of first asthma onset in United States adults

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess whether the weight-adjusted-waist index(WWI) is associated with the prevalence of asthma and age when first asthma onset appears in US adults. MethodsFor analysis we selected participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)database between 2001 and 2018. A dose-response curve was calculated using logistic regression,subgroup analysis,and a dose-response curve. ResultsThe study included 44480 people over the age of 20,including 6061 reported with asthma, and the increase in asthma prevalence was 15% associated with each unit increase in the WWI, after adjusting for all confounders(odds ratio(OR)=1.15,95% CI:1.11,1.20). The sensitivity analysis was performed by trichotomizing the WWI, and compared to the lowest tertile, the highest tertile WWI group displayed a 29% increase in asthma prevalence(OR=1.29,95% CI:1.19,1.40). A nonlinear correlation was found between the WWI index and the risk of asthma onset, with a threshold saturation effect indicating an inflection point of 10.53 (log-likelihood ratio test, P<0.05), as well as a positive linear correlation with age at first asthma onset. ConclusionsA higher WWI index was associated with an increased prevalence of asthma and an older age of first asthma onset.