Perceptions of Asthma and Exercise, and Associations With Weight Status and Asthma Morbidity in Urban Children

BACKGROUND: Given the high prevalence of asthma and obesity in minority children, there is a need to identify targets for intervention to decrease the impact of these conditions on children's functioning in this high-risk group. OBJECTIVE: To examine in urban children with persistent asthma, 1) differences in asthma indicators (eg, FEV1% predicted) by weight status, and by ethnic group/weight status, 2) caregivers' fears about their child's asthma by weight status, and by ethnic group/weight status, and 3) the proportion of children who qualified for exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) via exercise challenge test among those whose caregivers endorse exercise as a trigger for asthma. METHODS: In this sample of urban children (aged 7-9; N = 147), subjective measures included child/caregiver daily report of asthma symptoms and caregiver' fears about their child's asthma. Objective lung function was measured twice daily via handheld spirometer and EIB was confirmed via exercise challenge test. RESULTS: In the overall sample, a greater proportion of normal-weight children reported asthma symptoms compared to overweight/obese children. Caregiver fears about asthma were more prevalent among Latino caregivers. Non-Latino White children whose caregivers were afraid their child may die when having asthma reported more days with asthma symptoms. Very few children had confirmed EIS compared to the proportion of caregivers who endorsed exercise as a dangerous trigger for asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiver fear about asthma and misperceptions of exercise as a dangerous trigger for asthma should be addressed during health care visits with families of children with asthma and interventions including urban children with asthma.