BMI stands for body mass index. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared (BMI = kg/m²). BMI is used as a general measure of body weight relative to height. As body weight increases, BMI increases. In adults, a BMI greater than 30 is considered obese.
According to research published in Pediatric Pulmonology (2006; 41(12): 1118–1124), a high BMI combined with poor diet may increase the incidence of asthma. The study involved more than 24,000 Korean schoolchildren between the ages of six and twelve. In boys, a higher BMI was associated with wheezing during the previous 12 months, lifetime prevalence of wheezing, and exercise-induced wheeze. This association was not observed in girls. Consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish was associated with fewer asthma symptoms.
