A Canadian study finds that obese people are more likely to report exercise as a trigger for asthma. The study, published in the journal The Physician and Sportsmedicine, evaluated 673 people, finding that 71% reported exercise-induced asthma (ETA).

The study also found that every 1-point increase in body mass index score was associated with a 9% increase in the probability of reporting ETA.

According to the researchers, ETA affects up to 90% of asthma sufferers. Participants who took part in the study suffered from intermittent as well as mild, moderate, and severe persistent asthma. Their body mass index was calculated according to their reported height and weight. Study participants were also asked to indicate factors—exercise, animals, dust, pollen, aspirin, stress, emotions, or cold air—that could trigger their asthma.

“Exercise-induced asthma may lead to a sedentary lifestyle, increased weight, and can fuel a downward spiral to worsened health,” says Simon Bacon, PhD, professor at the Concordia Department of Exercise Science and a researcher at the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal. “Given the importance of exercise and regular physical activity in weight management, greater care should be taken when working with asthma patients to refer them to appropriate weight management specialists to help them control and safely reduce their weight.”

Source: Concordia University