ABSTRACT
Childhood obesity is an emerging global public health challenge. That is because the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents has increased greatly in all parts of the world.[1] Overweight and obese children are at increased risk of a wide range of health conditions including respiratory diseases. A number of studies have reported an inverse relation between respiratory function and various indices of obesity or fat distribution.[2] The aim of this work: was to study the impact of obesity on pulmonary function and to assess the correlation between lung function impairment, degree of obesity and fat distribution in Egyptian children with simple obesity. Patients and method: This study was conducted on thirty children. They were divided into two groups. Group I included 20 children with simple obesity. Group II included 10 healthy normal children as a control group. All children were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, anthropometric assessment, plane x-ray left hand for bone age assessment, plane x-ray chest and pulmonary function testing including: FVC, FEV1, FEV1 / FVC or FEV1%, PEF maximum, PEF25%, 50% and 75%,: FEF25-75%, MVV. Obese children had statistically significant higher rate of chest symptoms suggestive of bronchial asthma than the control group. They had also statistically significant reductions in FVC, FEV1, PEF, and MVV. They showed also lower values of FEV1/FVC ratio FEF 25%, 50%, 75% and FEF 25-75% when compared with control group but the difference did not reach significant level. BMI had significant negative correlation with FVC, FEV1, PEF max, flow rates [FEF25%, FEF50%, and FEF25-75%] and MVV. Triceps skin fold thickness had significant negative correlation with, FEV1, FEF25%, FEF50%, PEF max, and MVV. MAC was inversely correlated with FEV1, FEF25%, FEF50%, FEF75%, PEF max, and MVV. There was no statistically significant correlation between waist circumference or WHR and all the parameters of pulmonary functions. Obese children have more respiratory symptoms than their normal weight peers. They have significant restrictive pulmonary defect, evident small airways obstruction and a defect in respiratory musculature, week effort and coordination, with increased airway resistance. BMI was inversely correlated with most of pulmonary function abnormalities. So, BMI is recommended to be used as a predictor of pulmonary function in assessment of obese children in epidemiological studies