Exploring weight management in children living with asthma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Weight-management in children living with asthma: A qualitative study of the experiences of families
IRAS ID
209467
Contact name
Claire Farrow
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aston University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Children with asthma are much more likely to be overweight and obese compared to their peers. In these children, excess weight can exacerbate symptom severity, increase inflammation and wheezing, and make condition management more difficult. Weight loss has been shown to reduce symptom severity in children with asthma. However, obesity is a highly stigmatised condition and many hospital staff report feeling uncomfortable initiating conversations around weight. Community weight programmes for childhood obesity are often inappropriate for children with asthma because of the complications associated with exercising, medication, and psychological and social influences on families where children are asthmatic. Therefore, these programmes are often not effective at achieving sustained weight loss in overweight children with asthma.
This project aims to increase our understanding of how Birmingham Children's Hospital's weight management advice and support could be better tailored to support overweight and obese children living with asthma to manage their weight. We propose to interview two groups of participants a) parents of children who are living with asthma and are overweight, and b) children or young people who are living with asthma and are overweight. We will interview up to 10 children/young person participants and up to 10 parent participants who will be identified by a respiratory or general paediatric healthcare professional. Interviews will explore how parents and young people believe their eating behaviour, weight and exercise are related to asthma symptoms and asthma management. Interviews will also explore participant's views on how weight management programmes could be better tailored to support their needs. By increasing our understanding of how weight management is different in families where children are asthmatic, the research team will be able to develop better tailored interventions for these children.
REC name
West Midlands - Edgbaston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0293
Date of REC Opinion
19 Sep 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion