Home »  News »  Regular exercise lowers hay fever risk in children

Regular exercise lowers hay fever risk in children

Regular exercise provides protection from the sniffs and sneezes of hay fever in children.

Regular exercise lowers hay fever risk in children

Regular exercise provides protection from the sniffs and sneezes of hay fever in children. Researchers from the GSF - National Research Centre for Environment and Health in Neuherberg, Germany followed 1,700 children for up to 12 years; those who were inactive at the study's start were 50 percent more likely to develop hay fever, compared with their regularly active peers. According to the researchers, their findings are unlikely to be a case of reverse causality, where hay fever caused some children to avoid outdoor activities. For one, the study followed the children over time, documenting new cases of hay fever. In addition, sedentary children were inactive year-round, not only during pollen season. Instead, the findings, suggest that regular exercise may somehow keep hay fever at bay. Other studies have shown that moderate exercise may benefit immune system function. So this might explain the lower hay fever risk seen in active children. The study included 1,703 children ages 5 to 14 who were first examined in 1992-1993, then at least once more over the next 12 years. During the first assessment, parents reported on their children's physical activity levels; only 6 percent were completely sedentary, while 79 percent regularly exercised or played sports. Sedentary children, had more than twice the rate of hay fever as regularly active kids, and their risk of developing the allergy during the study period was also elevated. The link between exercise habits and hay fever persisted even when the researchers weighed other factors that affect children's allergy risk including family history of allergies, exposure to pets and cigarette smoke, and whether a child was breastfed or bottle-fed. If the findings are correct, hay fever protection could be one more reason for kids to be regularly active.
Allergy,
November 2006
COMMENT

DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.

Was this Article Helpful Yes or No

................... Advertisement ...................

 

................... Advertisement ...................

................... Advertisement ...................

................... Advertisement ...................

--------------------------------Advertisement---------------------------------- -