Researchers studying a school-based programme credited with
reducing the rates of obese and overweight 7-year-olds have
now found a reduction in asthma symptoms.
Asthma is a potentially serious breathing disorder in which
airways become inflamed. Its causes are not known, but in
many cases it is linked to allergies.
Project Energize, a healthy-nutrition and physical activity
scheme, began as a trial in Waikato in 2004 and was later
converted to an intervention funded at all Waikato primary
schools by the area's district health board.
In five years, the proportion of 7-year-olds who were
overweight - the group in which the greatest change in body
mass index occurred - declined by 4 percentage points. There
was a smaller fall in the obesity rate for 7-year-olds and
the picture was more mixed for older children.
Now, data has been made public on the prevalence of asthma as
counted in Project Energize surveys from 2004 to last year.
The researchers found a drop in asthma symptoms for several
demographic groups, including 7-year-old girls, European New
Zealanders and those attending schools serving wealthier
They also found that 17.7 per cent of the 7-year-olds were
experiencing asthmatic wheezing when their parents responded
to last year's survey, compared with 22.2 per cent of
children aged 6 or 7 in several regions nationally when last
checked in 2001-2003 as part of a multi-country survey.
That survey, published in 2008, found that although the
prevalence of reported asthma in New Zealand had risen to
nearly one in three for children and adolescents, there had
been a reduction in the prevalence of asthma symptoms, such
as "current wheeze", and also the severity of symptoms.
A researcher involved in Project Energize, Professor Elaine
Rush of Auckland University of Technology, noted that its
children could run 13 per cent faster than other youngsters
"If they have more physical fitness and better nutrition we
hope that the severity of asthma might be less because unless
we have good nourishment, any disease is going to be worse.
Food is your first medicine."
Professor Julian Crane, head of the Wellington Asthma
Research Group at Otago University, said the Waikato findings
were interesting, although the changes within Waikato over
time were more informative than the comparison with the
"There is evidence that exercise does help asthma control. It
won't stop you getting asthma, but if you have it, exercise
can improve management - so this finding is perfectly
"However, an observational study like theirs can never prove
it; for that you would need a randomised trial."
Dunedin respiratory physician Professor Robin Taylor agreed
the Waikato findings were not conclusive, but said the
significance of the difference from the multi-region rate for
current wheeze was "striking".
"Lifestyle issues may be important and appear to have
influenced the prevalence of asthma symptoms for the better."
- Martin Johnston, New Zealand Herald