Lifestyle-Related Factors and Atopy in Seven Danish Population-Based Studies from Different Time Periods

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lifestyle-Related Factors and Atopy in Seven Danish Population-Based Studies from Different Time Periods

AU - Skaaby, Tea

AU - Husemoen, Lise Lotte Nystrup

AU - Thuesen, Betina Heinsbæk

AU - Jørgensen, Torben

AU - Linneberg, Allan

PY - 2015/9/15

Y1 - 2015/9/15

N2 - BACKGROUND: The prevalence of allergic respiratory disease tends to increase in populations that adopt the so-called Westernized lifestyle. We investigated the association between atopy and several possible lifestyle-related factors in seven Danish population-based studies.METHODS: A total of 20048 persons participated in the seven studies. We used logistic regression to analyse the associations between possible determinants and atopy defined as serum specific IgE or skin prick test positivity against inhalant allergens. Associations were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). In addition, individual participant data meta-analyses were performed.RESULTS: Atopy was significantly associated with younger age (OR per 1 year increase in age: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.97, 0.98); male sex (OR for males versus females: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.45), heavy drinking (OR for heavy drinkers versus light drinkers: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.27), never smoking (OR for current versus never smokers: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.80), and higher educational level (OR for educated versus uneducated: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.41). Atopy was not associated with blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, physical activity or body mass except in women only, where we found a positive association (OR for obese vs. normal weight: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.39) with ptrend = 0.032.CONCLUSIONS: Of interest for preventive purposes, we found that atopy was associated with some of the reversible lifestyle-related factors that characterize a Westernized lifestyle.

AB - BACKGROUND: The prevalence of allergic respiratory disease tends to increase in populations that adopt the so-called Westernized lifestyle. We investigated the association between atopy and several possible lifestyle-related factors in seven Danish population-based studies.METHODS: A total of 20048 persons participated in the seven studies. We used logistic regression to analyse the associations between possible determinants and atopy defined as serum specific IgE or skin prick test positivity against inhalant allergens. Associations were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). In addition, individual participant data meta-analyses were performed.RESULTS: Atopy was significantly associated with younger age (OR per 1 year increase in age: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.97, 0.98); male sex (OR for males versus females: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.45), heavy drinking (OR for heavy drinkers versus light drinkers: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.27), never smoking (OR for current versus never smokers: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.80), and higher educational level (OR for educated versus uneducated: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.41). Atopy was not associated with blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, physical activity or body mass except in women only, where we found a positive association (OR for obese vs. normal weight: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.39) with ptrend = 0.032.CONCLUSIONS: Of interest for preventive purposes, we found that atopy was associated with some of the reversible lifestyle-related factors that characterize a Westernized lifestyle.

KW - Adult

KW - Allergens

KW - Denmark

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Hypersensitivity, Immediate

KW - Life Style

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Respiratory Tract Diseases

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0137406

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0137406

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26372449

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 10

SP - 1

EP - 14

JO - P L o S One

JF - P L o S One

IS - 9

M1 - e0137406

ER -