Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and childhood asthma: a European collaborative analysis

Eijkemans, Marianne; García Aymerich, Judith; López Vicente, Mònica, 1988-; Sunyer Deu, Jordi; Thijs, Carel

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001630

Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and childhood asthma: a European collaborative analysis

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Eijkemans M, Mommers M, Harskamp-van Ginkel MW, Vrijkotte TGM, Ludvigsson J, Faresjö Å, et al. Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and childhood asthma: a European collaborative analysis. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2024 Aug 15;11(1):e001630. DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2023-001630

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the associations of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour in early childhood with asthma and reduced lung function in later childhood within a large collaborative study. Design: Pooling of longitudinal data from collaborating birth cohorts using meta-analysis of separate cohort-specific estimates and analysis of individual participant data of all cohorts combined. Setting: Children aged 0-18 years from 26 European birth cohorts. Participants: 136 071 individual children from 26 cohorts, with information on PA and/or sedentary behaviour in early childhood and asthma assessment in later childhood. Main outcome measure: Questionnaire-based current asthma and lung function measured by spirometry (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/forced vital capacity) at age 6-18 years. Results: Questionnaire-based and accelerometry-based PA and sedentary behaviour at age 3-5 years was not associated with asthma at age 6-18 years (PA in hours/day adjusted OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.04; sedentary behaviour in hours/day adjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.07). PA was not associated with lung function at any age. Analyses of sedentary behaviour and lung function showed inconsistent results. Conclusions: Reduced PA and increased sedentary behaviour before 6 years of age were not associated with the presence of asthma later in childhood.