Association of Obesity with Asthma Control and Physical Activity in Children with Asthma: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

Background/Purpose: Obesity and asthma are two prevalent chronic conditions in childhood that frequently coexist and may be associated with adverse disease outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI), asthma control, physical activity levels, and selected demographic and early-life factors in children with asthma.Methods: This cross-sectional pilot study included 24 children aged 9–17 years with physician-diagnosed asthma. Participants were categorized into two groups: obese (n = 12) and normal-weight (n = 12) according to age- and sex-specific BMI percentiles defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Asthma control was assessed using the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Physical activity levels were evaluated using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and the Children’s Leisure Activities Study Survey (CLASS).Results: Poor asthma control was significantly more frequent in the obese group compared with the normal-weight group (75% vs 16.7%, p = 0.028). PAQ-C mean scores were slightly higher in the obese group (2.03 ± 0.75) compared with the normal-weight group (1.78 ± 0.65); however, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.436). No significant differences were observed in CLASS-derived physical activity indicators between groups (all p > 0.05).Conclusion: Obesity was associated with poorer asthma control in children with asthma. Although obese children showed slightly higher PAQ-C scores compared with normal-weight children, this difference was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that BMI may be an important factor in asthma control, while its relationship with physical activity levels warrants further investigation in pediatric asthma populations.