Obesity in the young raises risk of developing allergies and asthma

A new study suggests that obese children and teenagers might be at a higher risk for developing asthma and allergies due to vitamin D deficiency. MD Candace Percival from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center explained that the risk for asthma and severe allergies has not been understood in the past. There has been a clear link between overweight and obese teens and an increase in allergic disease, but until now doctors did not have an explanation for the occurrence.

Percival went on to explain that research in the past has shown that Vitamin D deficiency can actually cause problems with the immune system as a healthy amount of Vitamin D is needed to support a healthy immune system. She added that vitamin D deficiency commonly occurs in those who are obese.

The study included 86 different subjects between the ages of 10 and 18 and was created to examine whether there was a link between teens with excess weight and an increased allergy risk. 55 of the subjects in the study were categorized as obese or overweight based on their BMI. The other 32 people in the study were considered to be a healthy weight and were the control group.

Each subject had their BMI calculated and then they all had a vitamin D test to determine what level of Vitamin D they had in their blood. All of the obese subjects in the study were found to have a Vitamin D insufficiency.

They then did tests to determine the biochemical measures of allergies that were present in the bodies of those with the vitamin D deficiency and it was discovered that there was a link between obesity and the biochemical measures of the disease. The higher the BMI score was the lower the levels of Vitamin D and the higher the markers for allergic disease.

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