There is a well-known association between obesity and asthma [1–8], but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Some studies suggest asthma as a cause of obesity [1, 9]. However, more studies recognise overweight or obesity as a possible risk factor for childhood asthma [2, 5, 7, 10], and a meta-analysis found a positive linear relationship between body mass index (BMI) and asthma [11]. Obesity is known to induce local and systemic low-grade inflammation by producing a number of proinflammatory mediators, e.g. C-reactive protein (CRP), tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) [12]. These changes can inhibit the immune system and have been proposed as a potential mechanism leading to a number of chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma [13]. Also, asthma-associated disorders, including mental health disorders [14], might affect the BMI–asthma relationship.

肥胖与哮喘之间存在众所周知的关联[1-8]，但其潜在机制尚不清楚。一些研究表明哮喘是肥胖的一个原因 [1, 9]。然而，更多的研究认识到超重或肥胖是儿童哮喘的可能危险因素[2,5,7,10]，并且荟萃分析发现体重指数（BMI）与哮喘之间存在正线性关系[11]。众所周知，肥胖会产生多种促炎介质，例如C反应蛋白（CRP）、肿瘤坏死因子α（TNF-α）和白细胞介素6（IL-6），从而诱发局部和全身低度炎症[12]。这些变化可以抑制免疫系统，并被认为是导致哮喘等多种慢性炎症性疾病的潜在机制[13]。此外，哮喘相关疾病，包括精神健康障碍 [14]，可能会影响 BMI 与哮喘的关系。