All issues > Volume 45(5); 2002

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 2002;45(5):588-595. Published online May 15, 2002.

Effects of Obesity on Pulmonary Functions in Children

Seok Won SW Park¹, Hwang Min HM Kim¹, Jong Soo JS Kim¹, Jae Kuk JK Cha², Hae Ran HR Lee²

¹Department of Pediatrics, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Korea
²Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea

Correspondence Seok Won SW Park ,Email: pdy1013@wonju.yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract

Purpose
: The incidence of obesity has increased in Korea recently. Obesity leads to higher risks of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and insulin resistance. It also leads to risks of respiratory complications. This study was performed to see the effects of obesity on children's pulmonary functions and on developed bronchospasm after exercise loading according to their obesity degrees.
Methods
: 257 obese children and 150 non-obese children were enrolled. Obese children were divided into 3 groups by the obesity degrees. Pre- and post-exercise loading FEV1(forced expiratory volume at one second), FVC(forced vital capacity) and PEFR(peak expiratory flow rate) were checked in all subjects. The percent predicted values of each parameter was compared according to obesity degrees and the differences between pre-exercise and post-exercise values.
Results
: The percent predicted value of FEV1, FVC decreased only in the severe obesity group compared with those in the control group. However percent predicted PEFR declined according to obesity degrees. The percent predicted value of FEV1, FVC and PEFR after exercise loading were much lower than those before exercise loading in all groups.
Conclusion
: As the degree of obesity was higher, the percent predicted value of pulmonary function was lower. And after exercise loading, as the degree of obesity was higher, the reduction of percent predicted value of pulmonary function was larger. Therefore the pulmonary function in obese children must be observed carefully. Further studies on the effects of pulmonary functions in obese children are necessary.

Keywords :Obesity, Exercise, Pulmonary function