Background: Physical activity (PA) is an essential health promotion factor. In asthmatic children and adolescents, exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) and parental beliefs and attitudes toward PA may be limiting issues.
Objective: To compare PA levels in asthmatic adolescents with and without EIB and the influence of mothers' beliefs of asthma worsening due to PA and attitudes in restraining their children's PA, asthma severity, severe EIB, or bronchospasm perception.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional, hypothesis-testing study from December 1, 2008, through August 31, 2009, using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire to assesses PA levels in 134 asthmatic adolescents (10-19 years of age, 60% male) from an underprivileged community. EIB was defined as a decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second greater than 10% from basal 5, 15, or 30 minutes after treadmill running for 8 minutes. Subjective factors were evaluated through specific questionnaires.
Results: EIB was diagnosed in 46% of patients and was not associated with lower PA levels (odds ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-3.52). The other factors evaluated were also not associated with lower PA levels, although 78% of the mothers said they believe asthmatic children cannot participate in PA as much as nonasthmatic children, 44% that exercise can be harmful, and 52% that they restrained their children's PA.
Conclusion: We found no association between EIB and low PA levels, although EIB was a frequent event that should be addressed by health care professionals, along with mother's beliefs and attitudes toward PA.
Copyright © 2012 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.