Table 5

Association between asthma (wheeze or asthma attacks), asthma attacks and persistent wheeze and fatness (BMI and sum of skinfolds) in the inner city sample, odds ratios for the comparison of the 90th and the 10th centiles of SDS

Boys (n=2698)Girls (n=2703)5-150
OR95% CIp valueOR95% CIp value
Asthma
BMI SDS
Unadjusted5-151 1.150.95 to 1.410.11.761.40 to 2.22<0.0001
Adjusted5-152 1.140.88 to 1.470.31.561.14 to 2.140.005
Skinfolds SDS
Unadjusted1.110.88 to 1.550.31.531.17 to 2.010.002
Adjusted1.200.77 to 1.600.21.461.02 to 2.090.03
Asthma attacks
BMI SDS
Unadjusted1.170.89 to 1.550.22.191.54 to 3.09<0.0001
Adjusted1.110.77 to 1.600.52.241.41 to 3.570.001
Skinfolds SDS
Unadjusted1.110.79 to 1.540.51.621.07 to 2.460.02
Adjusted1.320.88 to 1.970.11.580.93 to 2.680.09
Persistent wheeze
BMI SDS
Unadjusted1.180.89 to 1.550.21.641.19 to 2.260.003
Adjusted1.160.81 to 1.660.41.901.21 to 2.990.005
Skinfolds SDS
Unadjusted1.050.76 to 1.460.71.651.13 to 2.420.009
Adjusted1.210.81 to 1.810.32.111.26 to 3.540.005

  • BMI = body mass index; SDS = standard deviation score.

  • ↵5-150 Total is not presented because of an interaction between sex and BMI on asthma.

  • ↵5-151 Adjusted for age.

  • ↵5-152 Adjusted for age, birth weight, number of children, father's social class, ethnicity, area and passive smoking.