ArticleThorax2001
Asthma in preschool children: prevalence and risk factors.
Article in Thorax, 2001. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
33 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 200 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence and risk factors for asthma in East Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC pediatrics · 2026Pooled it
- A meta-analysis of the effect of high weight on asthma.Archives of disease in childhood · 2006Pooled it
- Prevention strategies for asthma--primary prevention.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2005Guideline
- Dietary and Plasma Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Are Inversely Associated with Asthma and Atopy in Early Childhood.The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice · 2019Trial
- Rising prevalence of asthma is sex-specific in a US farming population.The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology · 2011Trial
- Miller Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting (MECSH) trial: design, method and sample description.BMC public health · 2008Trial
- Risk Factors and Mechanisms Leading to Preschool Recurrent Wheeze and Asthma.The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice · 2025Review
- Exploring the potential link between vegetable oil supplementation and adverse food reactions in dogs: a preliminary study.BMC veterinary research · 2025Article
- Food sensitization in preschool Egyptian children with recurrent wheezing.Pediatric research · 2020Article
- Prevalence and associated factors of wheezing illnesses of children aged three to five years living in under-served settlements of the Colombo Municipal Council in Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2018Article
- Review
- Review
- The influence of dietary immunomodulatory factors on development of food allergy in children.Postepy dermatologii i alergologii · 2017Review
- Article
- Effect of Television on Obesity and Excess of Weight and Consequences of Health.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2015Review
- Operational definitions of asthma in recent epidemiological studies are inconsistent.Clinical and translational allergy · 2014Review
- Associations of intake of antioxidant vitamins and fatty acids with asthma in pre-school children.Public health nutrition · 2013Article
- Factors associated with asthma among under-fives in Mulago hospital, Kampala Uganda: a cross sectional study.BMC pediatrics · 2013Article
- Maternal plasma phosphatidylcholine fatty acids and atopy and wheeze in the offspring at age of 6 years.Clinical & developmental immunology · 2012Article
- Asthma and allergies in Jamaican children aged 2-17 years: a cross-sectional prevalence survey.BMJ open · 2012Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe prevalence of asthma in children has increased in many countries over recent years. To plan effective interventions to reverse this trend we need a better understanding of the risk factors for asthma in early life. This study was undertaken to measure the prevalence of, and risk factors for, asthma in preschool children.
methodsParents of children aged 3-5 years living in two cities (Lismore, n=383; Wagga Wagga, n=591) in New South Wales, Australia were surveyed by questionnaire to ascertain the presence of asthma and various proposed risk factors for asthma in their children. Recent asthma was defined as ever having been diagnosed with asthma and having cough or wheeze in the last 12 months and having used an asthma medication in the last 12 months. Atopy was measured by skin prick tests to six common allergens.
resultsThe prevalence of recent asthma was 22% in Lismore and 18% in Wagga Wagga. Factors which increased the risk of recent asthma were: atopy (odds ratio (OR) 2.35, 95% CI 1.49 to 3.72), having a parent with a history of asthma (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.34 to 3.16), having had a serious respiratory infection in the first 2 years of life (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.25 to 2.99), and a high dietary intake of polyunsaturated fats (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.60). Breast feeding (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.74) and having three or more older siblings (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.71) decreased the risk of recent asthma.
conclusionsOf the factors tested, those that have the greatest potential to be modified to reduce the risk of asthma are breast feeding and consumption of polyunsaturated fats.
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