Effect of asthma treatment on fitness, daily activity and body composition in children with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Although several cross-sectional studies have assessed the daily physical activity in children with asthma, the impact of the level of asthma control remains unknown. AIM: To assess the influence of asthma treatment-induced changes in asthma control on daily physical activity, cardiovascular fitness and body composition in children with asthma. METHODS: Daily accelerometer-measured physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, body composition (percent fat, percent lean tissue and bone mineral density) and a variety of asthma outcomes (to assess the level of asthma control) were measured over 4 weeks in 55 children with newly diagnosed untreated asthma and 154 healthy, sex and age-matched controls. Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids was initiated after the baseline period. All outcome measurements were repeated after 1 year and some also during the year of treatment. RESULTS: Asthma control improved markedly during the year of treatment. The improvement in control was associated with a significant increase in total daily activity of 2.8 h/week compared with the healthy controls (P < 0.001). In addition, significant increases were seen in moderate-vigorous activity (33 min/week; P = 0.01) and in cardiovascular fitness (1.2 ml O2/min*kg) compared with the healthy controls. The improvement in activity was mainly seen during the last 6 month of the study. No difference was seen between the two groups in changes in percent body fat. CONCLUSION: Poorly controlled asthma is associated with reduced physical activity and cardiovascular fitness. Improvement in asthma control is associated with a clinically relevant increase in daily physical activity and cardiovascular fitness.

Fitness, daily activity and body composition in children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma.

BACKGROUND: Information about how the asthma disease affects the life style and health in children is sparse. AIM: To measure fitness, daily physical activity and body composition in children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma and healthy controls, and to assess the association between the level of asthma control and these parameters. METHODS: Daily physical activity measured using accelerometry, cardiovascular fitness and body composition (per cent fat, per cent lean tissue and bone mineral density) were measured in 57 children with newly diagnosed, untreated asthma and in 157 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. The level of asthma control was assessed by measurements of a variety of asthma outcomes. RESULTS: Children with asthma were less fit (35.1 vs 39.3 ml O(2)/min/kg) (P < 0.001), had a higher body per cent fat (22.8 vs 19.5%) (P < 0.01) and a higher frequency of overweight (24.6 vs 14.2%) (P < 0.05) than healthy controls. Per cent body fat correlated negativly to overall daily activity (P < 0.001) and to time spent in high or vigorous activity (P < 0.001). Fitness corrrelated positively to time spent in high and vigorous activity (P < 0.001). Within the asthma group, the level of asthma control, fitness and the time spent in vigorous activity correlated positively (P < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Children with untreated asthma are less fit and have a higher body per cent fat and frequency of obesity than their healthy peers. Uncontrolled asthma is associated with a reduced fitness and daytime spent in intensive activity. Overweight children are physically less active than normal weight children.