Global Advanced Research Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences
June 2012 Vol. 1(5), pp. 119-121
Copyright © 2012 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of level of breathing difficulty in Obese Children 

Maria Agolli¹ and Roven Sinani² 

Gjirokaster Albania

*Corresponding author E-mail: agollimaria@yahoo.com

Accepted 12 June, 2012

Abstract

Present study has been conducted on obese children ranging in age from 3 to 14 years having Body Mass Index (BMI) value more than equal to 30.Group of 100 children of same age group having no any history of obesity are taken as control group. Following criterion has been followed for the estimation of level of difficulty on breathing: Parental Interview through questionnaire, assessment and evaluation by Otorhinolaringologist and pediatrician. There was no Polysomnography Test carried out on children under study. Results indicate that higher percentage of breathing difficulties have been observed in obese children as compared to control group children. Based on the otorhinolaringologic examination, it was noted that the percentage of the tonsilar hypertrophy and adenoid is almost the same in both groups, having a higher predominance in the obese children group. This shows that the difficulty in breathing of the obese children is directly due to their obesity and not because of the presence of the adenotonsilar hypertrophy. In the pediatric examination, it was observed that the group of obese children has a slight pulmonary obstruction due to the fat which compromises the pulmonary and also the abdominal mass which obstacles the diaphragm.

Keywords: Breathing, obese, children.