elvis presley - el...

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Asthma affects more on the Obese

Emory Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta , USA reports that severe asthma is more likely to hit obese individuals than people with normal weights. Also, the association between obesity and asthma severity is stronger in women than in men.

Although the actual reason for this association is not known it could be that severe asthma would normally lead to reduced physical activity which would tend to result in weight gain. The hormone leptin is thought to be another factor.
Leptin which is produced by fat cells may also contribute to airway inflammation in asthmatic persons.