Associations of asthma with obesity phenotypes and dyslipidemia among Korean adolescents: a secondary data analysis of the Eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the association of asthma with obesity phenotypes and dyslipidemia among Korean adolescents.

METHODS

This secondary analysis included 1,723 adolescents aged 10-18 years, using data from the Eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2019-2021. The complex sampling design accounted for stratification, clustering, and sampling weights. Data were analyzed using the t-test, Rao-Scott chi-square test, and binary logistic regression.

RESULTS

Factors associated with asthma included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), age, sex, and smoking-related variables. The adjusted odds of asthma were 1.21-fold higher per 1-unit increase in BMI and 4.50-fold higher per 1-unit increase in WC. Each 1-unit increase in HDL-C was associated with 0.78-fold lower odds of asthma. Compared with adolescents aged 10-12 years, those aged 13-15 and 16-18 years had 0.38-fold and 0.36-fold lower odds of asthma, respectively. Female adolescents had 0.46-fold lower odds than male adolescents. Adolescents who smoked had 4.40-fold higher odds of asthma than those who did not smoke. The odds of asthma were 10.26-fold higher among adolescents who began smoking before the age of 12 years and 10.20-fold higher among those who smoked more than 11 cigarettes per day.

CONCLUSION

Clinical programs for preventing and managing asthma in adolescents should include physical activity promotion and dietary management, as well as abdominal muscle-strengthening exercises in cases of abdominal obesity. Regular monitoring of blood lipid levels, particularly HDL-C levels, should also be included.