New Delhi: A recent study has revealed that an abnormal body mass index (BMI) during childhood—whether too high or too low—can lead to impaired lung function in later life. The findings were released on Monday, highlighting the potential long-term consequences of both underweight and overweight conditions in children.
According to the research, around 10% of children suffer from poor lung function, which can hinder their ability to achieve optimal lung capacity as adults. This lack of maximal lung function increases the risk of various serious health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, and diabetes. However, the study led by researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden suggests that normalizing BMI before adulthood can help mitigate these negative outcomes.
The research tracked 3,200 children from birth to 24 years of age, assessing their BMI—a common measure that considers weight relative to height but does not distinguish between muscle and fat composition—at approximately four intervals over the years. The study was published in The European Respiratory Journal, with findings indicating that abnormal weight and height were significant risk factors for impaired lung function.
Children who consistently had high BMI or experienced rapidly increasing BMI were found to have impaired lung function as adults. This was largely due to restricted airflow in the lungs, a condition known as airway obstruction. However, children with initially high BMI who managed to normalize their BMI before reaching puberty did not exhibit impaired lung function in adulthood, according to Erik Melen, the study’s principal investigator and a professor of pediatrics at Karolinska Institutet.
"This finding underscores the importance of promoting healthy growth patterns not just during early childhood but also throughout school years and adolescence," Melen emphasized. The study also observed that children with persistently low BMI experienced reduced lung function due to inadequate lung growth, with no normalization of BMI throughout the study period.
The researchers emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to children's nutrition, aiming to support healthy growth rather than focusing solely on preventing obesity. Ensuring balanced nutritional intake is crucial for optimizing lung development, they added. The study’s findings call for early interventions that address both ends of the BMI spectrum, helping children achieve healthier growth patterns and reducing long-term health risks.
Overall, the study reinforces the importance of monitoring BMI in childhood, as early interventions can play a critical role in safeguarding lung function and overall health in adulthood. It calls for efforts to ensure that children maintain a healthy BMI, emphasizing the benefits of both early detection and timely corrective measures