The prevalence of rhinitis and its association with smoking and obesity in a nationwide survey of Japanese adults

• Published in: Allergy (Copenhagen) 2012-05, Vol.67 (5), p.653-660
• Main Authors: Konno, S., Hizawa, N., Fukutomi, Y., Taniguchi, M., Kawagishi, Y., Okada, C., Tanimoto, Y., Takahashi, K., Akasawa, A., Akiyama, K., Nishimura, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Aged; Allergies; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Asthma; Asthma - complications; Biological and medical sciences; BMI; Body mass; Body Mass Index; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dermatology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Humans; Inventories; Japan - epidemiology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Prevalence; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory Sounds - etiology; Rhinitis; Rhinitis - complications; Rhinitis - epidemiology; Risk factors; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Smoking; Surveys and Questionnaires; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0105-4538; 1398-9995
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2012.02793.x

Background Rhinitis is a common disease, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. Several studies have provided evidence of a strong association between asthma and rhinitis. Although smoking and obesity have been extensively analyzed as risk factors of asthma, associations with rhinitis are less clear. Objective The aims of our study were (i) to evaluate the prevalence of rhinitis using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaire in Japanese adults and (ii) to evaluate the associations of smoking and body mass index (BMI) with rhinitis. Methods Following our study conducted in 2006–2007 to determine the prevalence of asthma using the ECRHS questionnaire, our present analysis evaluates the prevalence of rhinitis and its association with smoking and BMI in Japanese adults 20–79 years of age (N = 22819). We classified the subjects (20–44 or 45–79 years) into four groups as having (i) neither rhinitis nor asthma; (ii) rhinitis without asthma; (iii) asthma without rhinitis; or (iv) rhinitis with asthma. We then evaluated associations with smoking and BMI in each group. Results The overall age‐adjusted prevalence of rhinitis was 35.1% in men and 39.3% in women. A higher prevalence was observed in the younger population than in the older population. Active smoking and obesity were positively associated with asthma without rhinitis. In contrast, particularly in the 20‐ to 44‐year age‐group, active smoking and obesity were negatively associated with rhinitis without asthma. Conclusion The results of the present study suggest that smoking and obesity may have different effects on the development of rhinitis and asthma.