Asthma more likely in apple-shaped ladies

Many Brits already know that obesity can lead to asthma but new research has found that women of a healthy weight but who carry more of it around their middle may be more prone to the condition.

New research which analysed more than 88,000 females revealed that having an apple shape, or a larger waistline, can lead to a higher risk of the respiratory problem.

The findings showed that women with a waist of 88cm (35in) but with a normal body weight were at a third higher risk than those with a smaller middle, while overweight ladies were 40 per cent more likely to get asthma.

Researchers at the Northern California Cancer Center at Berkeley, who published their findings in the journal Thorax, said that weight around the mid-area means there is more visceral fat around the organs and it may be a more useful measure of getting the condition than the current body mass index used.

Julie Von Behren, a researcher, said: "Visceral fat is metabolically more active - it can produce compounds that may cause inflammation. Inflammation may then be related to asthma."

However, Leanne Metcalf, director of research at the charity Asthma UK, said the latest research was incomplete as it had not looked at other contributing factors, such as family history of asthma.

"As this study involves such a large number of women, the results are likely to have some significance. It is important that people with asthma eat a healthy, balanced diet, which is low in fat and sugar and take regular exercise."

It is not the only factor affecting the chances of getting asthma, with research from the University of Bristol earlier this year finding that anxiety in pregnant women can increase the chance of the child developing the condition.

The research stated that mothers-to-be who are very anxious are 60 per cent more likely to have a child which develops the respiratory problem.

John Henderson, reader in paediatric respiratory medicine at the university, urged pregnant women to try to reduce their stress levels, but admitted that the methods of doing this are likely to be different for each mother.

By Louise Jones.

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