A number of different asthma risk factors may increase your chances of developing an asthma attack. Some of the asthma risk factors are avoidable like exposure to smoking and eating certain foods, while others like family history and when you are born are not avoidable or modifiable. Finally, there are also a handful of protective asthma risk factors like breast feeding that decrease your risk of asthma.
Asthma attacks, or any any acute change in asthma symptoms that interrupt your normal routine and require either extra medication or some other intervention to breathe normally again, are more common among different aged patients and among patients with specific asthma risk factors. Asthma is more common among:
- Children 5 years of age and younger
- Adults in their 30s
- Adults over the age of 65
Additional asthma risk factors in both adults and children include:
- A family history of asthma
- A personal history of atopy
- A personal history of allergies
- Exposure to second hand smoke
- Urban living, especially if there is significant air pollution
- Low levels of vitamin D
- Obesity
- Low birth weight
- Being born in the winter months
- Workplace exposures to chemicals or other substances that may lead to occupational asthma
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Sinusitis
- Antibiotic use in the first year of life
- Increased fast food diets
- Regular acetaminophen use
Additionally, some factors are potentially protective of wheezing and asthma:
- Breast feeding
- Attendance at daycare
- Large family size
- Increased intake of fruits and vegetables
- Community resources such as economic development opportunities
- Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish
Are you surprised about any of the risk factors? Why not go to the forum and let us know what you think?
Sources:
Up To Date. Accessed June 5, 2009. Risk Factors For Asthma
Haby, M M; Peat, J K; Marks, G B; Woolcock, A J; Leeder, S R. Thorax. 56(8):589-595, August 1, 2001.
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. Accessed June 5, 2009. Risk Factors for Asthma, Atopy, Environment, Family History
