Asthma Rate Up In U.S.

ATLANTA — Asthma seems to be increasing a little, and nearly one in 12 Americans now say they have the respiratory disease, federal health officials said Wednesday

About 8.2 percent of Americans had asthma in a 2009 national survey of about 40,000 individuals. That's nearly 25 million people with asthma, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

The rate had been holding steady at a little under 8 percent for the previous four years.

Better diagnostic efforts could be part of the reason for the increase. They were believed to be a main reason for an increase in asthma seen from 1980 through 1995, said Dr. Lara Akinbami, a medical officer at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

Asthma is a chronic disease involving attacks of impaired breathing. Symptoms may include coughing, wheezing, and chest pain. It can be fatal: Health officials estimate more than 3,000 U.S. asthma deaths occur each year.

But treatment seems to be improving, with 52 percent of asthma patients in the 2009 survey saying they suffered an attack in the previous year, down from 60 percent at the beginning of the decade.

Asthma is more common among women than men. It's also more common in children, blacks, Puerto Ricans, people living below the poverty level, and people in the Northeast and Midwest, according to the CDC.

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Online:

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs

Comments

[Marsha McClelland]

11:07 PM on 01/14/2011

Google "asthma and vaccine" & study up.

[Karla Rodriguez]

06:44 PM on 01/13/2011

asthma is a very bad health issue. two members of my family have it and its not good. i read in a different article that chemicals in food are causing asthma to increase. they should check the chemicals that they put in the foods before they put them on sale to the public.

[Josephius]

11:22 AM on 01/13/2011

Why divert to conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated immunological claims? sometimes the simplest explanations are the best.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110110055748.htm

[glunk thunker]

08:44 PM on 01/13/2011

It used to be non-controversial for even a doctor to say that those with asthma should avoid dairy as it's mucous forming. Now anyone who mentions it is considered a quack.

The food wars are hurting us.

[stape45]

08:48 PM on 01/12/2011

But, will it mean bigger profits? That's the first question that this poutocracy always asks. And if the answer is "yes" then change will come slowly or not at all.

[stape45]

08:49 PM on 01/12/2011

this plutocracy always asks

[Tungsten33]

06:06 PM on 01/12/2011

This newsletter would explain why asthma cases are exploding... http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/2007-nov.shtml

[drvittoriarepetto]

04:19 PM on 01/12/2011

http://drvittoriarepetto.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/the-musculoskeletal-aspects-of-asthma/

[typicalpol]

01:16 PM on 01/12/2011

As Canadian researchers have pointed out, another result of attacking the immune system by over-vaccinating the public.

[StansDad]

02:30 PM on 01/12/2011

the diseases vaccines prevent are far more deadly than asthma

[Tungsten33]

05:48 PM on 01/12/2011

typicalpol is half correct.

The true cause for asthma appears to be vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D deficiency happened to be widespread. Fix that and asthma goes away. Pretty simple. All the doctors had to do was hit the literature over vitamin D as they are many, many, many years behind in it. Things that they learned in medical school about vitamin D is widely outdated.

[Syrlinus]

01:15 PM on 01/12/2011

In 1993 I was diagnosed with asthma (it was enough to send me to hospital). Since that time I took up long distance cycling. And I've found my asthma disappeared. While not completely gone (it's allergy induced), it's effects were lessen by me simply getting more fit and doing things that increased my breathing activities.

[drvittoriarepetto]

04:09 PM on 01/12/2011

Food allergy or Food intolerance also need exploring
http://tinyurl.com/2g7suzz

[Syrlinus]

08:10 PM on 01/12/2011

I've been tested for allergies. All mine are dust mites and the like; no food allergies with exception to raw olive oil (go figure). It leaves a weird tingly sensation on my tongue. Otherwise.. none.

[Tungsten33]

07:12 PM on 01/12/2011

Ah! You just provided a clue! Long distance cycling would give you a lot of sun assuming you don't use sunblock. That meant a lot of vitamin D that ultimately "cured" asthma. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/2007-nov.shtml

[Syrlinus]

08:09 PM on 01/12/2011

Hehe.. so I get skin cancer instead (and while I use sun block while cycling, I often forget to re-apply).

Interesting study. Part of me has got to accept it since it's a Canadian one (being Canadian and all) but it does look like some interesting finding otherwise.