Asthma

Asthma and obesity have risen in recent years and asthma is more common in obese people as such, studies have looked at whether there is a biological connection between them.

Scientists have long suspected an association between overweight and asthma to be likely. The common assumption is that weight gain occurs because many asthmatic patients avoid exercise since physical activity can trigger their symptoms.

Current studies are also looking at the link between childhood obesity and asthma. Increase in childhood asthma may be explained by the rise in obesity, a US study has suggested. Rates of both have shot up dramatically in recent decades in the West.

The researchers found so far, the fattest children were 77% more likely to have asthma symptoms. They suggest increased weight might lead to inflammation in the respiratory tract, which could be the key factor in inducing asthma.

The way weight affects the lungs could also affect the airways, leading to a child developing asthma symptoms. The mechanical impact of the weight on the lungs could compromise the airways, causing increased responsiveness which is a hallmark of asthma, the researchers add.

Many people may have a predisposition to develop asthma and develop allergies to foods, perfumes, chemicals, animals etc and can be unavoidable, but with the recognition of the link to obesity as well, there are things we can do to avoid the development of asthma.

With the increase of western influences in India, namely fast food restaurants, we can see from this that the younger generation will in time, be more prone to gaining weight at a much faster rate and therefore more likely for future generations to develop asthma as a by-result.

The use of a VLCD (Very Low Diet), resulting in weight loss has been shown (like many obesity related conditions) to greatly reduce the symptoms of obesity related Asthma. The use of the TFR meals used in the Dr. Howard’s Way Diet, Weight Management  System helps the overweight person with asthma to not only reduce their weight in a safe and quick way, but may also experience the benefit of less use of inhalers or none at all.