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Exercise During Pregnancy May Cut A Child's Asthma Risk In Half
Wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest: the symptoms of an asthma attack can be scary, especially for children.
But, a new study suggests that pregnant women may have some agency over whether their child develops asthma.
Researchers from Finland found that the offspring of women who exercised at least three times a week during pregnancy were less than nearly half as likely to be diagnosed with asthma as the children of inactive women.
"We showed for the first time that it could actually also protect from asthma development," says Pirkka Kirjavainen, lead study author and a researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.
What causes asthma in children?Asthma affects nearly 25 million people in the United States, including 4.7 million children under the age of 18, according to the National Institutes of Health.
This chronic lung condition, which causes airway inflammation and constriction, can be diagnosed at any age. Each year, over 700,000 emergency room visits involve children with asthma, according to the Journal of the American College of Emergency Room Physicians.
While the exact cause of asthma remains unclear, and there is no cure, scientists know it often runs in families and have linked the condition to over 30 genes.
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Children with mothers and fathers who have asthma are three times and 2.5 times, respectively, more likely to develop the condition.
"The genetic predisposition is very strong," Kirjavainen says. "But even if you have the genetic predisposition, it depends upon the environmental factors whether you have the onset of asthma."
Factors such as prenatal antibiotic treatments, indoor pollutants, smoking, and being overweight can factor into the development of the disease in adults.
Socioeconomic factors can also play a significant role. Researchers supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have found that adults living in neighborhoods with the most air pollution had the highest rates of asthma.
How can maternal exercise be protective?Fortunately, though, recent research suggests pregnant women may have some degree of control over whether their children develop asthma.
While women were once advised to avoid exercise during pregnancy to avoid the risk of premature labor or low birth weight, physical activity is now seen as beneficial for the well-being of both the woman and the fetus.
Moderate physical activity can help prevent excessive weight gain and gestational diabetes while supporting heart and lung health during pregnancy, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency recommends healthy pregnant women get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, which can include brisk walking, bike riding, and yoga.
(No time for daily exercise? Weekend workouts still offer the same health benefits.)
Maternal exercise is also associated with better outcomes for the fetus. Studies have shown that regular physical activity with increased blood flow during pregnancy can result in better lung, heart, and cognitive development in the fetus.
Conversely, inactivity during pregnancy may lead to poorer health outcomes for children. A 2022 study by Norwegian and Swedish scientists found that the 3-month-old babies of women who reported being inactive during the first half of their pregnancy had greater odds of low lung function than those who said they were "highly active" during pregnancy.
The recent study expanded on these findings by analyzing 963 mother-infant pairs. Participants completed questionnaires in the first and third trimesters, which were used to assess their activity levels and their children's health outcomes. They found that pregnant women who exercised at least three times a week were 50 percent less likely to develop asthma than children of less active mothers.
Stephen Kimura, a board-certified allergist and immunologist based in Pensacola, Florida, says these findings were exciting, as they suggested an accessible way for pregnant women to potentially prevent the onset of asthma in their children.
"Nowadays, there's so much focus on treatment," Kimura says. "Once the child has asthma, there's so many medications out there and so many new biological injections that we can give to help treat the disease. So if we can identify the high-risk individuals and alter maternal care and decrease asthma, that would be great."
For example, Kimura says he'll see a child who has been diagnosed with asthma accompanied by a pregnant woman who wants to know what she can do to prevent asthma in the next child. He thinks it's great that he can now recommend something relatively easy, such as getting moderate exercise at least three times per week.
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How about women who may not be physically able to get 30 minutes of exercise five days a week during pregnancy? Study researcher and co-author Emma-Reetta Musakka of the University of Eastern Finland says there are many exercises pregnant women can do, even while seated.
"Our research nicely shows that it's better to do something than nothing," she adds.
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Natural Ways To Prevent Asthma Attacks
Asthma is a condition that makes it hard to breathe by causing inflammation and narrowing of the airways.
For people with asthma, certain triggers—like dust, smoke, or exercise—can set off an attack, leading to coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
While medications are often necessary to manage asthma, there are also natural ways to reduce the risk of attacks and improve overall lung health.
One of the most effective natural strategies is avoiding triggers that irritate your airways. Common triggers include allergens like pollen, dust mites, mold, and pet dander.
Regular cleaning, using air purifiers, and washing bedding in hot water can reduce allergens in your home.
For those with seasonal allergies, staying indoors on high-pollen days can make a big difference. Research published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has shown that reducing exposure to allergens can significantly lower the frequency of asthma attacks.
Improving air quality is another important step. Polluted air, cigarette smoke, and strong chemical odors can worsen asthma symptoms.
Studies, including one from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that people living in areas with cleaner air experienced fewer asthma symptoms.
If you live in a polluted area, try staying indoors when air quality is poor and consider using a high-quality air filter in your home.
Breathing exercises can also help strengthen your lungs and improve asthma control. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing or pursed-lip breathing teach you to breathe more deeply and efficiently.
The Buteyko breathing method, in particular, has been studied for its benefits in reducing asthma symptoms. A study published in Thorax showed that people who practiced Buteyko breathing experienced fewer asthma attacks and used less medication.
Your diet plays a role in asthma management too. Certain foods have anti-inflammatory properties that can help calm the airways. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon and in walnuts, are known to reduce inflammation.
A study in The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people with asthma who consumed more omega-3s had better lung function and fewer symptoms.
Fruits and vegetables are also your allies. They are packed with antioxidants, like vitamin C and beta-carotene, which protect your lungs from damage caused by inflammation.
Apples, for example, contain a compound called quercetin that has been shown to reduce airway inflammation.
A large study in The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that people who ate more fruits and vegetables had better lung health and fewer asthma symptoms.
Managing stress is another natural way to prevent asthma attacks. Stress can trigger asthma symptoms by causing your airways to tighten.
Practices like yoga, meditation, or even regular exercise (when done in moderation and with proper warm-ups) can help you relax and keep your asthma under control. Research has shown that mindfulness practices can reduce the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms.
Staying hydrated is also important. When your airways are dry, they're more prone to irritation, so drinking plenty of water can help keep them moist and less reactive to triggers.
Finally, maintaining a healthy weight can make a big difference. Being overweight can put extra pressure on your lungs and worsen asthma symptoms.
A study in The Journal of Asthma found that losing even a small amount of weight improved lung function and reduced the frequency of asthma attacks in overweight individuals.
In summary, while asthma is a chronic condition that requires medical attention, there are many natural ways to reduce the risk of attacks and improve your quality of life.
Avoiding triggers, improving air quality, practicing breathing exercises, eating a nutritious diet, managing stress, staying hydrated, and maintaining a healthy weight are all simple steps that can make a big difference.
By making these changes, you can take control of your asthma and breathe a little easier every day.
If you care about lung health, please read studies about marijuana's effects on lung health, and why some non-smokers get lung disease and some heavy smokers do not.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
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Exercise Training In Children With Asthma: A Systematic Review
Exercise can provoke asthma symptoms, such as dyspnoea, in children with asthma. Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is prevalent in 40–90% of children with asthma. Conversely, exercise can improve physical fitness. The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the literature regarding the effects of exercise training in children with asthma, particularly in relation to: EIB, asthma control, pulmonary function, cardiorespiratory parameters and parameters of underlying pathophysiology. A systematic search in several databases was performed. Controlled trials that undertook a physical training programme in children with asthma (aged 6–18 years) were selected. Twenty-nine studies were included. Training had positive effects on several cardiorespiratory fitness parameters. A few studies demonstrated that training could improve EIB, especially in cases where there was sufficient room for improvement. Peak expiratory flow was the only lung function parameter that could be improved substantially by training. The effects of training on asthma control, airway inflammation and bronchial hyper-responsiveness were barely studied. Owing to the overall beneficial effects of training and the lack of negative effects, it can be concluded that physical exercise is safe and can be recommended in children with asthma. A training programme should have a minimum duration of 3 months, with at least two 60 min training sessions per week, and a training intensity set at the (personalised) ventilatory threshold. Further research is recommended regarding the effects of exercise on underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and asthma control in children with asthma.
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