Table 4 Cross-Sectional Studies Included in the Systematic Review by Selected Study Information

1997

Cross-sectional

7–16 Area I–III

HBSC (WHO), two questions (hrs/wk and freq/wk)

ISAAC questionnaire and question on current asthma from reference

222

Area

I: 123

II: 69

III: 30

4,021

Area

I: 2,188

II: 1,045

III: 788

Association (OR [95%CI]) between current asthma and PA 1–3 hrs/wk vs ≤0.5 hr/wk (rfgr): 1.0 (0.6–1.5)

Age, gender, study area

Asthmatic children as physically active as peers

2001

Cross-sectional

7–16

HBSC (WHO), two questions (hrs/wk and freq/wk); only hrs reported in article

ISAAC questionnaire plus question about current asthma (from ATS-MRC)

116^wz

2,112

Associations (OR [95%CI]) wz or whistling (all children) and PA

≤1 hr/wk: 1.9 (0.9–3.8)

2–3 hrs/wk: 2.6 (1.3–5.2)

≥4 hrs/wk: 2.5 (1.2–4.9)

vs none (rfgr) “No clear dose-response relationship, but the effect was mainly among active vs inactive children”

Age, atopy (eczema and/or hay fever), current asthma, gender

Positive associations between PA and wz

2004

Cross-sectional

6–12

Questionnaire 1

) total mins active in one (1) day;

2) number of days active in typical wk

Questionnaire. Medical provider ever-diagnosed asthma and some asthma symptoms in last 12 months

137

243

Association (OR [95%CI]) between mod/severe persistent asthma and PA <30 mins/day (inactivity) vs all other PA-groups (rfgr): 3.00 (1.19–7.52) (P<0.05)

Gender, health beliefs (e.g., child can do as much PA as children similar age without asthma or child upset with strenuous activity)

Disease severity and parental health beliefs contributed to lower activity levels of children with asthma

2006

Cross-sectional

9–12th grade

PA-levels (questionnaire)

Questionnaire. Physician-diagnosed asthma denoted lifetime asthma with/ without current asthma last 12 months

1,943

13,553

Association (OR [95%CI]) between asthma status and sufficient mod PA: 1.1 (0.9–1.3)

Grade, race/ethnicity, gender

No differences in participation in vig or mod PA among students with and without current asthma

2007

Cross-sectional

10–12

PA questionnaire (PANACEA)

ISAAC questionnaire. Asthma symptoms, e.g., ever asthma or ever wz

166^Symptoms

700

Associations (OR [95%CI]) for asthma symptoms in boys; girls not participating in any PA vs no participation last wk (rfgr):

2.17 (1.34–3.54) (P<0.05);

1.63 (0.86–3.11)

Body weight (per 5 kg), time of watching TV or playing video games per day (per 1 hr)

PA associated with reduced odds of reporting asthma symptoms

2008

Cross-sectional

6–7

PA levels in regular sports (i.e., formal games or other aerobic exercise) (questionnaire)

ISAAC questionnaire. Defined current asthma

1,343

20,016

Association (OR [95%CI]) between current asthma and low freq of regular sports (1–2 times per wk) vs none (rfgr): 1.13 (0.93–1.38)

(P trend = 0.069)

Age, BMI, dietary variables, family asthma or rhinitis, mold, parental education and smoking, person filling questionnaire, regular sports, season, gender, study center, TV viewing

Wz or asthma not associated with regular sports activity

2012

Cross-sectional

10–12

PA questionnaire (PANACEA)

ISAAC questionnaire. Asthma symptoms, e.g., ever asthma or ever wz

228

1,125

Association (OR [95%CI]) between leisure-time PA and asthma symptoms:

0.90 (0.79–1.03) (Ns)

Age, BMI, KIDMORE score, gender, urban/rural

Inverse relationship between asthma symptoms and leisure PA (rural)

2013

Cross-sectional

6–7 and 13–14

Weekly vig PA (freq) (questionnaire)

ISAAC questionnaire, i.e., ever asthma

Data not given

76,164

(6–7 years)

201,370

(13–14 years)

Associations (OR [95%CI]) between reported asthma ever and PA once or twice per wk vs vig PA never or occasionally each wk (rfgr):

0.96 (0.89–1.04) (6–7 years)

1.14 (1.08–1.20) (13–14 years)

BMI, income, language, region, gender, TV viewing

Vig PA positively associated with symptoms of asthma in adolescents but not in children